Living On the Edge
by Lightning Streak
Summary: With Sam as a new partner, Agent Danny Fenton thought everything in the mission was black and white. But the CIA isn't just games. And the enemy isn't just a player. And sometimes, things aren't like they seem.
1. Those Beautiful Eyes

Disclaimer: I don't own Danny Phantom. Or the CIA for that matter…

Wow, so this is the outcome of going into la la land while during a test….go me! Uh…yeah. Um, really I'm not sure why I'm writing this…oh well, just so long that you guys like it! Oh, and this is an alternate universe fic. Sam and Danny didn't know each other before their partnership in this fanfic. 

Hope you like it!

_**10-19-08:** Doing some revision. Sorry for the mess! :)_

* * *

**Living On The Edge**

**Chapter 1: Why Me?**

**Third Person P.O.V.**

* * *

Agent Daniel Fenton nearly dozed off over the ridiculously high stack of reports.

Falling asleep on the job was quickly becoming a bad habit, one that he just couldn't break. He hadn't slept in days. He hadn't eaten anything for hours.

His list of things-to-do unfortunately was limited to and compiled of only the reports. Reviewing and reviewing...The information was old and yet they still forced him to reread it, making it sure that no valuable piece of data was overlooked.

_Or maybe they just like to torture me, _he thought as he tiredly scanned the papers. And after all that back-breaking work, he still received no recognition. No reward. Not even a gift certificate to Starbucks, but then he figured that was asking too much...

Danny could almost recite the words from memory. One of Russia's most intelligent agents had been murdered after retaining the exact location of the serial killer's next move.

For the past two weeks, a series of killings were reported all around Russia. Sensing something amiss, the CIA banded with Russia to figure it out. Except only one thing went awry: they had miscalculated the killer's intelligence, and the guy they sent out was shot. The papers he had stolen from the killer disappeared.

The sniper now knew they were after him.

Danny sighed. He himself couldn't do much else at that point. The Russian agent had been his partner. His now _dead_ partner. And no matter what Danny tried, he could never get his buddy's life back.

In moments like those, the agent sorely wished he could reverse time.

_I can't take this anymore, _he sighed, standing up for the first time in hours. A small pain twisted down his spine, ensuring him that he still had circulation. Well, kind of...

He stretched, and then went out of his office to the coffee pot, which was considered the unoffical meeting spot of agents not fortunate enough to get a field mission. And as expected, a couple of agents loitered around it, talking about the latest news.

"Hey, Danny!" One of them waved him over, smiling happily.

"Hey Tucker," Danny replied, reaching for a Styrofoam cup. He nearly smiled as his friend launched into some story about how he'd nearly infiltrated Fort Knox, but was stopped when the Head Agent threatened to fire him.

Tucker was the CIA's best computer hacker and also Danny's closest friend. Six feet tall and with contacts, the man always wore a signature red hat. He was not the most outgoing guy, but he knew too much to keep quiet. That, and he had a horrible habit of blabbing things at the wrong moment.

As for Danny, he was tall too. Around six foot two inches, he had broad shoulders and droopy, black hair. His sapphire blue eyes held enjoyment as he took a sip of his much loved coffee. (It was really his only escape from reality.)

"So, found anything useful yet?" Tucker asked hopefully, switching subjects. "I've been so bored with no case, I think I've forgotten how to hack into my own firewalls..."

"Your _own_?" Danny inquired, raising an eyebrow. He didn't know it was even possible to reach such an unforgiving state of absolute boredom. The agent suddenly grew sneaky. _Maybe he could take a few reports off my hands, if he's dying to do something..._

But when Tucker opened his mouth to thoroughly lecture on every aspect of a firewall, much to Danny's mental agony, it took every ounce of his self control to _not_ groan. _Oh dear God. _

"Well," the hacker started enthusiastically, "it's actually a very easy concept to explain. All it is-"

Suddenly, an ear splitting siren (thankfully) cut off the agent as all the doors leading to an exit instantly shut down. The agents around stiffened at the sudden action, and then immediately began acting upon the situation.

_Headquarters under attack, _a sexless robotic voice boomed from the intercom. _Attention all agents, headquaters under attack. _

_Headquarters under-_

Danny's eyes widened as the sound finally registered within him. He slammed his coffee cup down, racing down the winding hallway and back to his office for his weapon. The lights had shut down; generators with infrared trackers lit the building.

Everybody with half a mind there at the Agency knew what was happening: Someone was either attacking, or a thief had stolen something important.

_Probably both._

Finding his office, Danny threw open the door and rummaged through his drawer for his gun. Although he actually hated to use it, it was required that all agents carry one.

He still hadn't gotten quite used to normal weapons. Not after...Well, it was a long story...

Finding the gun, he ran out the door to report for instructions. In any emergency, it was (once again) imperative to contact one of the leading agents to get information, and Danny was never one to turn down an order.

He dug through his faded jean pockets and pulled out what he considered to be an 'agent's best friend.' He snapped the earpiece into place and adjusted the microphone. "I'm ready for orders," he said into the mic, transmitting his message back to a leading agent.

"Daniel," the other agent's voice crackled, "You know what to do. The attackers have been tagged by a chip, and now all that you need to do is take them down."

"Gotcha." He clicked a button on his silver watch, and the clock flipped around to reveal a compatible tracking device.The red dot (which was the criminal) was moving rapidly to the southwest corridor of the building, pinpointing his location.

Danny ran at top speed towards the culprits, taking no time in hesitating.

_Hopefully, this will go over well. _

He practically flew down the rather bleak looking corridors, the reports on the walls blending together.

The agent gained on them rapidly, and finally managed to notice the faint outline of two people up ahead. Within a few seconds, he was in striking range.

But he didn't try to shoot. Instead he peered closely at the intruders, recording every single detail of them in his mind. If for some reason he didn't succeed, then that information would come in handy later...

Thinking now was the right time, he ran out of sight to a place he knew criminals would go: the escape exit.

_Of course. _

He pulled his gun out, ready. He leaned up against the wall and carefully turned his head to see the intruders out of the corner of his eye.

What he noticed funny was what they were carrying. It was a small silver box, something that looked like it could hold only a ring. But what would they want with a ring?

_No, it can't be a ring. They would've robbed the jewelry store, not a Central Intelligence Agency..._

Danny's heart rate and blood pressure quickened as he heard the soft clicking of shoes on the tile floor. Then, when he thought it was the right time, he jumped out in front and fired his gun. His shot richocheted off the floor, but he meant for it to. It was a warning.

And god-dammit, this would have been so much easier if he still had his powers...

"Hey, idiots!" Danny called out mockingly and with more confidence than he felt, "survey says you lose!" They both blinked in wide-eyed bewilderment, but the taller of the two recovered quick.

"Then survey says _you_ die," he replied simply, whipping out his own gun. Danny's gaze hardened, realizing that he might actually have to kill.

In the blur of a moment, a shot rang out in the room. Danny quickly dodged it and then tackled his opponent._ Crash!_ to the floor. A twist brought him into a wresting death match, too fast to see.

They both held their own ground, each blocking and attacking with punches and kicks. To any on lookers, they were a swirling blur of fury.

Danny saw stars as his jaw clashed with the intruder's fist. But he returned the favor, hitting the guy in the right eye.

Too bad Danny hadn't counted on the other guy to join in. And soon enough, he was fighting two people.

But that proved to be impossible. He felt his arms being locked behind his back and something hard and metal slamming itself into the back of his head before he could twist out of the man's death grip.

Danny blacked out.

* * *

oOo

* * *

"Danny?" a distant voice called his name.

For a moment, he didn't recognize it. Nor did he recognize the name. It was all a swimmy, blurry, echoey mess...

"_Danny!"_ That voice was Tucker's. The name was his own. "Wake up dude!" Slowly, Danny opened his eyes, feeling his body scream with pain from every move he made. He was lying in the infirmary.

Had they found him? Did they stop the robbers? "What's going on?" he moaned groggily, attempting to sit up in the bed.

"Nice to see you alive," Tucker said dryly, but he couldn't hide his relieved expression. "The Committee thought they lost another agent when they first saw you." Danny slowly sat up, with the help of his friend.

"It takes more than a knock out to kill me. Did any of you stop them afterwards?" Danny questioned, rubbing his head. A large bump was forming there, creating a very painful throb.

"No, we were trying to shut everything down and see what was wrong. We thought you had them." Tucker explained, shrugging his shoulders."But, as of right now, you look like you've been run over. And I have to say, your health is _extremely_ important when it comes to being an agent. Perhaps we should get you some medication?" Tucker held his hand out to help Danny.

"Thanks," Danny said, carefully standing up. He winced as Tucker lead him to the medical cabinet, with Danny slightly limping all the way.

Luckily, finding a medicine cabinet was pretty easy, and didn't take long. He tore the earpiece off as he searched for an antiseptic.

A small mirror was located on the inside of the cabinet, so Danny took an inventory of his injuries. He had a purple bruise covering the whole entire right side of his chin, a black left eye, a small cut on the back of his head, and probably more than one strained muscle.

_I was crazy when I picked this life, _he thought ruefully as the antiseptic soaked through his skin, stinging all the way. After putting an ice pack on his jaw, he felt better. At least the swelling was going down.

His cell phone rang at that moment. "Yeah?" he answered casually, taking care not to show the person on the other line the pain in his tone.

"Danny, come down to the executive office. Bring our hacker with you." the stoic voice said. The line clicked and then there was a dial tone.

"Come on, Tuck," he poked Tucker, getting his attention. "Something's wrong. We need to go to the exect.'s office." Tucker's brows furrowed as he nodded. The two then walked, well, _tried _to walk, to their destination.

Their destination, of course, was considered the easiest room in the building to find. The Executor's Office (with a double meaning) spanned nearly three rooms in size, and the walls were quite literally lined with case papers and forms. It was, in all, a nightmare for most agents. And librarians.

They opened the red oak door and saw a party of five men and woman already there, sitting down at a round table. A couple of them gasped at Danny's state, and asked what happened.

"Just a small run in with the attackers," he replied glumly with a sigh. "It went swimmingly, lemme tell you. But I'm fine. Maybe a little beat up, but I think I'll live." He inwardly winced, pain shooting down his spine.

_Yep...I'll be fine just as soon as I turn numb. _

"Gentlemen," an elderly man said, completely disregarding Danny's apparent state of health. "So glad you could make it. Sit down, for we have" he raised an eyebrow, "interesting news." As head of the CIA, the man's life revolved around "interesting" news.

Which was perhaps why he looked so old.

Tucker and Danny looked at each other with a knowing glance. "Although you were in vain trying to stop the intruders," the man continued, "they still got away. And with something that could wipe out every computer document the government has."

Tucker jerked and stood up, his eyes widened with realization. "You're talking about the ZX-97 portal software I was working on, right?" The head of the CIA nodded. "That is going to do more than just wipe out software!" he suddenly exploded, waving his hands in wide circles."It had Hydrogen sulfuridate in it! It's highly unstable and even an exposure to it can seriously hurt someone..."

Inside Danny's mind, he remembered the small silver case. At that instant, his knuckles turned white from hanging on to the table so hard.

_If only I could turn back time..._

"And this is why we need to get it back before it is used against us," an older agent responded coolly. "Personally, I have no idea _why_ you would even use that stuff if it's so dangerous."

"In case you didn't notice," Tucker said, left eye twitching, "it was made for that same reason. It's concentration had metallic blocks of memory that can sustain fifty times more than even the most technical computer in the world."

The hacker sighed frustratedly. "_And_, because _someone_ keeps switching my cases, I haven't had the time to put a block on the software, _so_, the person using it can get through any type of firewall, virus protector, etcetera, etcetera. "

As Tucker sat back down, Danny heard him curse under his breath.

"Because of this, gentlemen," the H.A. said, slightly disturbed by Tucker's outburst, "we will need to send out a trustworthy agent smart enough to get it back. Perhaps I'm just guessing, but I'm willing to bet my life on it that the intruders were the sniper's lackeys." he turned to look at Danny, who gulped, knowing what was coming. "Which is where you come in, Daniel."

And at this statement, Danny oddly felt his internal organs deflate in shock.

**_"Oh no_**, not again. I just got beat up and you want _ME_ to go?" he cried pitifully. "I don't even have a partner!"

One of the woman interrupted him. "We just recruited a new agent. She originally worked for the FBI but wanted the next step up. So you _do_ have a partner."

Danny's mind, at the woman's statement, instantly fell into some type of overdrive. _Oh, so they want me? And how do they even know if this new recruit is a spy? _

_And **WHY** on earth would they send a fresh CIA agent on a mission with **me?** _

"You're probably wondering why," the lady continued, "we have decided to let a newbie run around with you. She is more than you think, I've seen her practice self defense. We believe she's just up your alley." A small twinkle appeared in her eyes, which didn't go unnoticed by Danny. "I'd like you to meet your new partner." she waved her hand at the door.

And to Danny's surprise, in stepped the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She confidently strode over to him and stuck out her hand. "I'm Sam. And from what these people tell me, I'm your new partner."

..._Whoa..._

Time stopped. Or it slowed down. Or it did whatever it did when he couldn't think.

Her violet eyes captivated Danny's own. _It looks like I'm in for a little something more than I expected, _he thought as his heart quickened its pace at only the sight of her.

But not only did Tucker see it, so did the rest of the agents. _Interesting, _they all thought at the same time.

* * *

**So, did ya'll like it! I know, I was kind of choppy on some parts, but you'll have to forgive me. If you guys like it, I'll continue it. But I can't say I'll update it really quickly. Between school and color guard, I really don't have much time. I'll try though, But that's only if you REVIEW:puppy eyes:. Please? **

**Lightning Streak**


	2. A Couple?

_Disclaimer: Nope, still don't own Danny Phantom or the CIA…… CRUEL WORLD, WHY HAVE YOU BETRAYED ME!_

_YAY! I got so much positive feedback on this! Thank you SO much! I normally check my email after I come home from school, and one of the best things that happened all day was coming home to a full inbox with reviews! Okay...well that's really all that I have to say…_

_Oh wait, yes there is. Getfuzzyfan4( ) asked if this was a DannySam fiction…and the answer is: Probably. I'm going to make them have their ups and downs, but most likely YES! Just not yet…_

_And so, I shall now continue this fanfic from my humble computer named Carl! (seriously.)_

**_10-20-08: Doing some revision!_**

* * *

**Living On the Edge**

**Chapter 2: A Couple?**

* * *

That violet gaze captivated Danny, quite literally intoxicating him.

_Her eyes..._

Needless to say, Danny was hooked, line and sinker.

The Head Agent, or H.A. as some called him for short, cleared his throat. Clearly seeing they wanted him to wrap it up, Danny replied back, "Nice to meet you too." He shook her hand, an almost electric feeling running from her to him.

The woman gave him a funny look, as if she had felt it too. But if she had, she didn't comment on it. Instead, she returned his handshake firmly, like a soldier. Her lips were set in a determined line, as if to block out all distractions. She looked serious about the job. Either that, or she was used to guys falling face first over her.

Danny wasn't sure which was worse...

"You can stop shaking my hand any time," the woman supplied helpfully, those determined lips lifting into a small smile.

His eyes widened. "Oh, uh...right." He quickly snatched away his hand, clenching it into a fist behind his back to hide his embarrassment. _Great move, Fenton..._

A few of the agents threw him concerned looks. Had the hit to his head affected him _that _much? Meanwhile, Sam looked around the table, scanning for a place to sit. Finding none, she simply leaned up against the wall as if it was the most natural thing to do.

But it was then Tucker decided to intervene. "Here, take my seat," he said generously, standing up. He winked at Danny before he walked to the wall and leaned against it.

"Uh, okay," Sam spoke uncertainly, aware of his (rather strange) expression. But nonetheless, she sat down by Danny.

Not even a heat scanner could have detected the ever so slight blush on Sam's pale features. And instantly from that reaction, she knew this Danny guy was going to be trouble for her.

"Welcome Sam." The Head Agent stated. "Now, let's get down to business."

"As you might know, one of our top agents was murdered by an unknown criminal. As Danny's new partner, your assignment will be to uncover his, or her, identity." Sam nodded, soaking in the information. "Now, have you heard of the Russian serial killer running about?" Sam nodded again. "Good, because we think that the person who murdered our agent might somehow be connected with this unknown sniper. Think you can handle that?"

_What do they take me for? _Sam was tempted to ask, her attitude flaring up, but instead replied, "Of course."

The H.A. turned his attention back to Danny. "As for you, I'd appreciate it if you showed Sam the ropes here. Take her to the weapon's room first. All the agents need to know where that is. That will be all. You may go." And with that, the proverbial court was ajourned. The agents rose and walked out of the room, leaving Sam and Danny alone.

Sam tucked a small piece of her raven black hair behind her ear. "So," she said, trying to bring up a conversation. "Not to be rude or anything, but just... why are you so beat up?" She saw her partner wince and immediately wondered, _Did I say something wrong? _

Danny avoided her eyes. "Oh, just a little run in with an opponent." Sam raised her eyebrow as a sign that she didn't buy that. He changed the subject. "Well, the Head Agent said I'm supposed to show you around. Where would you like to start?" he asked, rubbing the back of his neck.

She smiled. "Well, how about the weapon's room. That's the place your head commander said for us to go," she pointed out bluntly.

Danny mentally kicked himself. "Uh, right. Let's go." And he walked out the door with Sam close behind him.

_He's remotely cute when he's flustered, _she thought suddenly. But then her eyes widened. _I did not think that._ Determined, she jutted her jaw out and walked a little more confidently.

Towards the end of the hallway was a computer monitor that hung on the wall. Danny pressed his hand against it, and within seconds, the walls broke apart, opening into some sort of room. With a sense of fascination, Sam's eyes wandered from wall to wall, trying to see every detail. What surprised her was what the walls actually had on them: metal devices, which of course looked like weapons.

"And here we are," Danny's voice rang out against the enclosed walls, echoing. "The weapons room." He glanced at Sam's facial expression, amused. He had felt the same way when he first joined.

He picked up a random weapon and began explaining it. "It's important for an agent to know what he's got weapon-wise, so the higher-ups always make us train with each weapon. This one here is a X-trose one-twenty-one. It's a gun capable of holding more than just bullets." He opened it up an hidden, inner chamber. Inside was a small, mechanical device. "It's also capable of disrupting radio waves between microphones and transmitters."

Sam slowly nodded. Even though she was an FBI agent, never before had she seen so many strange weapons._ I would like to know where they came up with the plans for some of this stuff. _

Her partner set the weapon down and picked up another. "This one, you'll be seeing a lot of. In fact, I have one of my own. It's a bomb diffuser." Sam gave him the classic are-you-another-James-Bond- Look. Apparently, he got the message. "Relax, life here isn't exactly like the movies."

She still wasn't convinced, and Danny gave her a sheepish smile.

"But really," he contemplated as an afterthought, "weapons aren't my favorite. Let's go someplace else."

"Sure," Sam replied casually. Danny lead them out, shutting off all the lights and everything before closing the door. _Electronically_ of course.

Sam watched with a raised eyebrow as Danny walked that sort of strut normal ego-trips do. She groaned, her fear becoming true. _Oh dear God, no..._

That type of strut had often given Sam a hard _exact_ type of strut she had to deal with on a regular basis...

And Sam_ hated_ people like that. Luckily, she knew she would strike a nerve asking the question floating in her mind._ Hmm..subtle hint or just plain blunt? _she thought smiling.

_Blunt._

"So, does being an agent boost your ego?" she asked innocently. "Or do you always act like this?"

Danny stopped walking. "Excuse me?" he asked, not entirely sure what to make of her accusation. _I'm not a James Bond and she's not an air headed chick, _he thought.

Sam crossed her arms. "_Oh,_ so the high and mighty thinks that he's too good for his lowly co-crime fighter?" _Well, with every handsome face comes a price…_

Danny's left eye twitched. "No. I…I…" realizing he didn't have a good comeback, he shut up.

"Can't even think for yourself? Tell me then, how'd you get to be one of the top agents around here? Is everyone else a huge ego trip too?" _If this is the C.I.A's best agent, then the US is about to collapse on itself...I think I feel sorry for past partners..._

_They must have had really good restraint. _

Those questions really got his attentions. "Look," he retailiated, now clearly angry, "if it wasn't for the fact that you had some experience, you wouldn't even be here with me! So, why don't you just shut up?" His face was dangerously close to hers, expression telling her to stop it.

Sam backed away. _I have a feeling this is gonna be Hell for as long as this mission takes…And I'm beginning to hate the jerk already. Forget his looks. _"Fine, all right, all right. I was just wondering," she said, her face the _perfect_ picture of innocence. "You don't have to kill me."

He turned around and walked on. "You're going to make my life a real pain now, aren't you?" _Since when have I been called an ego trip? Does everybody else think that? _

Inside his heart was slowly sinking, for her words stuck in his mind. _No. Wait, maybe I **have** been a know-it-all, but... who said that I'd let her win? _

Even without looking, he knew she was smiling. Evilly too. "Whatever gave you that idea?" she asked once again in that _annoyingly_ innocent tone. _Well, then, let the games begin…_

Danny was about to reply with a smart wise-crack, turning his head to face Sam, when he accidentally initiated a painful communion between his face and the wall. A _concrete_ wall. Danny fell backwards right next to where Sam was standing…and now laughing.

_Ah dammit._

"You have to be the most unobservant person I've ever known!" Sam remarked, giggling. Yet within a few minutes, she got her self control back. "Do you do this often?" she asked seriously.

Danny was not amused.

Standing up, he saw that the "run in" certainly didn't help his already beat up body. _Just when I finally had something good to say, I blow it. Big time blow it. _He cursed under his breath. "No," he replied, his voice deadpan. "Since when do you care?" he asked, walking on through the very, very, **long** hall.

"Since when do you ask? Seriously, that wasn't very nice." Sam said, still wiping tears from her eyes.

"_You're_ not very nice."

"Oh, just shut up."

"Fine. I will."

Just then, Danny's cell rang. Glad for the distraction, he answered. "Yeah?"

"Danny, bring yourself and your partner to the Head's office again. Your plan has been decided." The phone clicked and then a dial tone was heard.

"Come on," he said to Sam. "They say they our plan has been completed." He stopped when he saw Sam wasn't following. "Aren't you coming?"

_Why didn't I stay with FBI? **WHY?!**_

Sam crossed her arms, not moving from her spot.

Danny sighed, blowing a drooping bang out of his face. "Please?" he asked, seriously.

She replied with a sigh and walked passed him. "Fine." Her harsh tone nearly made Danny wince.

_I don't know how much more of this I can take, _he thought, doubling his speed to catch up with her. _Nobody's ever gotten my nerves this frayed…Okay, except for that one time with the bomb and red and blue wires…_

Seeing the door, he grabbed Sam's arm and led her through. Inside the maroon colored room was once again the Head Agent along with some of his closer supervisors.

"So nice of you to join us. Now, take a seat and let me explain," the H.A. drawled. "As you might have guessed, this mission will take place in Russia. And more than likely, you'll have to assume a new identity.

"We're still debating about you're identities and money accounts, so in the mean time, let me set down a few ground rules," he continued. Danny glanced over at Sam, who was actually paying attention. She saw him looking at her out of the corner of her eye.

_What? _Her expression snapped at him.

The Head Agent began talking again, and they returned their attention back to him. "Although we're not entirely sure where the serial killer's hide out is, we have a few good tips to where. The intruder you fought, Danny, left his cell phone behind."

He sighed. "While Tucker couldn't find his registered name, or any of the intruders' contacts, he _did_ trace all the calls made back to St. Petersburg. Perhaps it is not the most solid evidence to have, but there is more than just that. The last three victims were shot in that town, and the killer hasn't made a move since then."

The elder man signaled a supervisor to begin. "One other thing," the supervisor began, "As you know, it's suspicious for a man to come out of nowhere and want to work for the bad guys. It's even more dangerous to have a lady turned loose around so many unstable men.

"So, that leaves us only one choice," she added, clearly amused. "If we want to complete this mission, you'll have to work as a couple."

**"What?!" **Danny yelled while Sam was tempted to hit her head repeatedly into a brick wall. Instead she just groaned and slumped even further into her chair.

The Head Agent gulped.

* * *

_DUN DUN DUN! Yeah, this was a really bad chapter, but what can I say? I ran out of ideas. But I hope it wasn't too bad anyway. Oh, if you have any suggestions, please give them to me in your reviews. I could really use them._

_Stay tuned for my next chapter!_

_A fellow authoress,_

_Lightning Streak_


	3. Cold hard Facts

_Disclaimer: I don't own Danny Phantom…If I did, nobody would believe me…_

_Ah yes, the wonders of fan fiction. Seriously, if there wasn't such a place, my brain's imagination would have overloaded and exploded by now! YAY! O.o Uh, hehe, just kidding. Nobody likes to see an exploding brain!_

_Thank you for all the wonderful reviews! I'm glad you all liked my last chapter!_

_But anyways, you probably don't want to hear about me. On with the story of my two favorite agents!_

* * *

**Living On the Edge**

**Chapter 3: Cold, Hard Facts**

* * *

At the outburst, many of the elder agents raised an eyebrow.

"You heard me correctly." The Head Agent's voice was calm, despite his internal surprise. "I will _not _let your childish emotions sway me from my decision. Neither of you would be safe without a trustworthy companion, do you understand me?" he ordered, his tone demanding respect.

Somewhere deep inside of him, he was enjoying the younger agents' discomfort around each other. It was really the only entertainment left in his job...

His command was met with rather dismal enthusiasm. "Yeah," Danny and Sam responded at the same time, albeit reluctantly. "We understand."

A moment of tense silence passed. "But why can't you-" Sam began, but was quickly interrupted.

"I can and I will," the elder agent replied coldly. "You are dismissed. The Council will give you everything you need. Until then...spend some time together; get to know one another." _Try not to kill one another in the mean time..._

Danny and Sam glared daggers at the man. Unfortunately, the Head Agent was more experienced in such cases. He glared back, chilling the two's spines with his stoic expression.

Danny lowered his shoulders in defeat, knowing he wouldn't win and walked out the door, with Sam behind him. The remaining agents jumped a little when Sam slammed the door with force unknown to them.

A woman of her late forties turned to the H.A. "Don't you think that was a little," she paused, "uncalled for?" Her brown eyes held skepticism.

Her husband turned to face her. "Of course not. People these days need discipline, Irene. How else are we expecting to catch an international serial killer?"

"True," Irene replied, pressing her lips together in deep thought. "But I can't help but wonder why they act so, oh I don't know, _jumpy _around each other?" The Head raised a regal eyebrow, and his expression alone revealed his opinion.

"You're right."A lightbulb appeared above Irene, finally understanding the unspoken message. "Maybe we shouldn't have paired them up together. A romance would get in the way of things."

The H.A. frowned. "But they've already been assigned to this mission. All the rest won't take it; they're busy doing something else."

Irene's brow furrowed. Then, she relaxed her face as a particular twinkle in her eyes appeared. "Well, at least we now know they'll stick together on this, yes?" she said coyly.

He couldn't resist a smirk. "I guess it would be so," he replied.

* * *

It was quite unfortunate the two younger agents didn't feel the same way.

"I can't _believe_ this!" Sam fumed angrily. She felt like punching someone. Hard. As a matter of fact, Danny was sounding like a pretty good punching bag, but she didn't want to risk losing her job.

Grudgingly, she plopped down on the sofa in her co-partner's office.

"Join the club, Sam. Join the club," Danny muttered, claiming the leather chair as his.

Inside the office, a deafening silence reigned. Tension weaved into the air around them, lending the agents a rather uncomfortable feeling.

Seconds passed like hours.

"A couple?" Danny indignantly mocked out loud. He snorted. "Yeah. _Right."_

"Well, I don't see you doing anything to remedy the situation," Sam retorted coldly, fiddling with the hem of her black shirt.

"You're not doing much of anything either, Sammy."

"Don't call me that!"

"So then, _Sam_, what do you propose we do?" Danny inquired with biting words.

Minutes passed as the woman said absolutely nothing.

".._.Lovely _idea," he said sarcastically. "I see you put a lot of thought into that."

Sam rolled her eyes. "Well, we could always refuse the mission. But that would get us fired, wouldn't it?"

"Yep."

"Then I...can't think of anything," she finally admitted.

Danny raised an eyebrow. " And I'm sure that's a feeling you're often accquainted with."

"Right back at ya, jerk," she countered.

Feeling the need to defend his pride and honor (or lack of said pride and honor), Danny was ready to retaliate, but, before he could do so, something else caught his attention.

It was a strange, muffled ticking.

"...You hear that?" he suddenly asked. _What is that? _His sky blue eyes narrowed in calculation.

"Hear _what_?"

"That...noise..." Danny abruptly stood up, trying to locate it. Something about it worried him.

Sam, by then, was becoming concerned as well. She grew silent, trying to prove to herself that Danny was just delusional. _Maybe it's the heater, or the elevators...._

And then she heard it.

_It almost sounds like a-_

Without warning, an explosion from Danny's desk lashed out with vengence, the deep red flames breezing against the metal. A great blast of wind barreled forward. Danny and Sam instinctively fell to the ground.

In doing so though, Sam hit Danny's gun, which was fully loaded. And by freak accident, the gun triggered and shot out a bullet - right above Sam's knee…

_Oh...my...God._

All time froze. Sam screamed in surprise and pain as she collapsed on the floor, holding her leg. The flames just breezed over where she once was.

Danny immediately jumped up and rushed to Sam with almost supernatural speed. Or so it seemed to Sam. "Are you alright?!" he worriedly asked her, their petty arguement forgotten in his mind.

_Doesn't look too good..._The blue eyed agent bit his lip as Sam slowly moved her hand from the wound. Blood quickly streamed from the bullet hole, and it trailed down the length of her leg.

The female agent breathed shallowly, trying to rein in her shock, but to no avail. _I...I just..._

_I just got shot... _Her purple gaze was wide, shocked.

Danny tore a strip from his curtains and wrapped it around her thigh as quickly as he could. It would only be a matter of time before she went into shock.

He grimaced as Sam hissed in pain. "Ow! Danny, that hurts, dammit!" She gasped. The bullet had gouged deep enough that it was possibly more than just a flesh wound. He flipped open his cell phone and called the Head Agent, informing him of the accident as fast as he could.

"Yes, I will call the ambulance," the older man stated calmly. "Carry her to the entrance, if you can; less stress on the ambulance medics." The Head Agent hung up.

Danny shut his phone and growled in frustration. He hadn't meant for this to happen…It just did. And now they were both going to pay for it.

What convenient timing.

_That explosion, though. It wasn't exactly...**life**-threatening. _His curiousity spiked for the moment. _So then, what was it supposed to have done? _

"Can you hold on just sec, Sam?"

"I'm _trying_ to," she managed to gasp out, glaring at her counterpart.

Only smoke trails and a few stray, dying flames remained of the explosion, Danny easily found out. But that wasn't was interested him; it was the small piece of paper that lied perfectly safe within the bomb's remains.

Careful not to burn himself, he pulled the folded paper out and unraveled it. And in only five words, Danny knew that he just got the welcoming wagon from a criminal.

_Welcome to the game, Daniel. _

Danny's eyebrows shot up out of surprise. _How does this person know my name? _However, he was forced to forget about the note as he heard a gasp of pain from behind him.

_Oh shit- Sam!_

He turned to the agent. Her complexion was white and paling fast, eyes dilating into shock. She wasn't gonna hold on much longer...The spark of concern within him intensified.

Before Sam could even say anything, he picked her up bridal style and quickly carried her out the door. He didn't even realize how close he was cradling her to his chest, nor did he realize that he was speaking comfort words to her.

His heart raced as Sam regained enough consciousness to witness his concern.

She opened her eyes to face his compelling blue pair. Immediately, she panicked, remembering the scene back in his office.

_Oh my God! _Sam thought as she struggled to move, but found herself surrounded by darkness. _Why did Danny--?_

But she drifted back into unconsciousness before she could sort it all out. Danny, although extremely worried for his partner, sighed in relief. One less thing to worry about. At the moment anyway. That spark of...whatever he felt wouldn't have to be addressed for a while.

He had some sixth sense that life was out to get him.

Danny, by some miracle, finally saw the doors with an ambulance waiting outside to take Sam away... He hoped she'd be okay.

* * *

A few hours later, Danny found himself conversing with Sam's doctor. He was a stately old man, one with much experience. He held a clipboard, and he stared at Danny from underneath thick-rimmed glasses. "The good news is that the bullet was low-grade metal; it didn't shear Samantha's femur in any way." He looked back down at his clipboard, Danny anxiously doing so as well. "Unfortunately, it did tear many of her muscles and bruise the outer layer of the bone itself. She'll be a few weeks in recovery."

Danny nodded his head and cursing himself for letting something stupid delay the mission. He recalled the phone conversation with the Head Agent.

_"Daniel, **why **did you leave your gun there in the first place?" he had asked in a tone of voice that made Danny want to turn face and run away. Ah. Responsibility calling._

_"I don't know. I-"_

_"You do realize we'll have to wait until your partner is fully recovered. In the meantime, I have some," he paused, "**paperwork** for you to do…" _

_Danny shivered at the word. _

"Um, Sir, are _you_ okay?" the doctor questioned him, sudden concern gracing his features.

Immediately, Danny snapped back to reality. "Yeah, I'm good," he said, shaking off the memory.

The medic seemed to shrug at his strange behavior, and continued prattling, "I've seen a few cases like Samantha's, and I must say she's one lucky girl. At that specific entrance angle, the bullet could have easily lodged into her bone marrow, and then she really would have had problems. Her only saving grace was the bullet's caliber."

Danny felt a small chill work down his spine. "What would have happened it it _hadn't_ been a low-grade bullet?"

"Oh, well, it's hard to say," replied the doctor. He set his jaw in thought. "The most obvious situation I can think of is a direct bone-marrow transplants, those can be pretty painful. And if too much damage was done to that area, it's quite possible I would've had to amputate."

At the boy's wide eyes, the doctor suddenly wondered what part Danny had played in the whole incident. He seemed rather distraught over it all.

But Danny tried to relax, inhaling a deep breath. _It was just an accident...It's not like I meant for this to happen!_ He had a mission; a job to do, people to save. He couldn't afford setbacks like this in his life.And then, something deep within his conscience broke into his thoughts.

_Gee, Danny, _an inner voice chided him. _You just about kill your new partner, And all** you're** worried about is your job?_

_You know, you **deserve** to have her insulting you..._

_Gah! _He interrupted his own thoughts in exasperation._ Stop it!_

"- was nice of you," the doctor was saying, "to bring in your girlfriend in such a hurry. That made it much easier on us."

Danny, who had been nodding his head the whole time, stopped nodding at the word _girlfriend._

"You're mistaken," Danny pointed out as fast as he could. Something flopped within him; he wasn't sure if it was his heart or his stomach. Might have been indigestion. "She's not my girlfriend!"

The doctor raised an eyebrow, as if amused by his instant denial. "Very well, then." Ahh, young love. _So naive_. "But I was about to ask you if you'd like to see her."

"Yeah!" Danny replied quickly. Too quickly. "I'm just worried. Is all." _Foot in mouth…_

The elderly doctor winked at him and led him to room 231, swinging his clipboard underneath his arm. Heart beating a little faster, Danny opened the door as the doctor walked away.

Sam was sitting up with her top part of her leg wrapped in bandages. And, of course, she eyed Danny with caution. They were silent for a moment.

"You didn't come here to laugh at me, did you?" Sam asked, her arms folded.

"No, I didn't," he replied honestly. "I came to check up on you."

"Like you'd care."

"Look Sam, I'm sorry," Danny said, surprising his own self with his words. " I didn't mean for this to happen."

"Sure as hell you didn't..." she lashed out softly, but then sighed. "So, did you talk to the Head Agent yet?"

"Yeah. He said he'll postpone the mission. But not for long, so don't worry," he responded gently.

Something in Danny's reply struck a chord in her mind. "Hold on a sec..." Sam's eyebrows furrowed. "But won't my leg not heal until another couple weeks?"

"Well apparently, he's not waiting. _Relax,_ it'll probably heal in half that time anyways."

Sam snorted. "Makes me feel loved," she muttered under her breath. _He doesn't really care, does he? _"It was your fault any of this happened."

"I said I was sorry!"

"But saying sorry won't take back what happened, Danny!"

"Well, what am I _supposed _to do?!"

"You could start by not yelling at me!" Sam snapped at him. And that effectively shut Danny up.

He was about to apologize again, not that he wanted to, when his cell phone rang. Glad for another excuse to evade Sam's wrath, he answered it. "Yeah?"

"Danny," the Head Agent's voice said, breathless and stilted. "I'm glad I got a hold of you and Sam, which by the way, are you still at the hospital?"

Danny began to answer. "I-"

"Never mind. I have something much more urgent." Anxiousness dominated his tone. He continued. "There has been another attempted murder."

"Really?" Danny asked. Something cold slithered up his spine. He had a bad feeling about it... "Who was the victim?"

The H.A. hesitated.

"…Tucker."

* * *

_So, how was THAT for a cliffy? I hope it seemed like a twist at least. I'm new to the "secret agent man" stories, so you'll have to forgive me….for now….Hopefully, I'll get better as I work on later chapters!_

_So, after all my hard work, I love to see reviews pop up in my inbox! Review please!_

_Lightning Streak_

_P.S. If any of you have ideas for this story, or my other story "Into Sudden Darkness," please tell me! I need help!_


	4. Facing the Facts

_Disclaimer: If I said I owned Danny Phantom, I'd end up in a court room…_

_YAY! More reviews! And what a wonderful gift to wake up on Christmas Day and open my inbox to REVIEWS! Thank you so much! Your reviews buoyed my happiness to a point of over-load, and so I decided to write the next chapter._

_I apologize for the wait though. The toughest thing in life is overcoming the mind. This is formally known as: writer's block._

_One last thing: I apologize for the long wait. I had been spending so much time on the computer and maybe only an hour with my family. And let's face it: I'm an internet freak, so I needed to get away for a little while._

_Anyway, I hope I make everything unpredictable for you! If not….tell me…yeah…_

_LET US SALLY FORTH INTO YONDER…..FANFICTION!_

* * *

**Living On the Edge**

**Chapter 4: Facing the Facts**

* * *

Danny nearly dropped the cell phone. "T-_Tucker_?" he stuttered incredulously. Sam glanced his way, her curiosity aroused.

Danny barely detected nervousness in the Head Agent's voice. "Tucker was our only hope of creating a counter type for the Hydrogen Sulfidate. Now that he's...I don't know…"

The agent gripped his poor little cell phone a little harder. "Is Tucker...a-alive?" By now, Sam had eavesdropped enough to know something was amiss.

She sat up straighter so she could grip Danny's arm. "Tucker? What exactly happened to him? Is he okay?" Her concerned violet eyes searched ice blue ones. She found fear.

She knew Tucker was Danny's best friend.

"He was found unconscious in his apartment and was immediately air lifted to the hospital, the doctors saying he was in an extremely critical condition," the Head Agent declared. "He's alive, I'll tell you that much. But I'm afraid I know nothing more."

"Do you know," Danny shakily asked, "where they took him?"

"Yes, I do." The Head Agent sighed. "He's at the top floor in the very hospital you stand in. You'd have to ask around to find the exact room number though. Call me when you've found him." And with that, he hung up, leaving Danny and Sam with only, once again, a dial tone.

A moment ticked by in deafened silence.

"Oh my God…" Sam finally managed to stammer, her expression shell-shocked. "Tucker, he was so nice too. I can't believe he was murdered." She corrected herself. "Almost. _Almost _murdered."

Danny stared at his phone long and hard, his expression disbelieving. "Yeah, and all because of that stupid software 'Improvement' crud. I don't think I'll ever fully understand him."

_I can't believe it..._

_...Tucker? Why** Tucker**? What did he have that was so important?_

Sam crossed her arms and leaned back on her pillows. "I hardly know him, and I _bet_ that he's not very clear with everything he does. Which then leads me to wonder once again about his…project that got him into this mess." Her brows furrowed. "What was he working on again? I never got the chance to ask about it. By the time I came in, everybody already talked about it, leaving me behind."

Danny replied, " The project Tucker was working on was a special software that I guess, could hold more memory and could do limitless hacking…And, _of course_, the serial killer stole it, adding even more _enjoyment_ to my day." He ended his small speech with sarcasm.

Danny bit his lip, willing himself to not turn hysterical. A killer software was stolen, he got hit upside the head with a lead pipe, he got a new partner, Sam got shot in the leg, and to top it all off, his best friend almost got murdered. _What else could possibly go wrong? _He thought. _Then again, I really don't want to know…_

"Wow," Sam whispered in consternation, squirming to find a comfortable spot on her bed. She bit her lip, hating the fact of any death.

_I don't even know this guy... _Still, she couldn't help but feel sorry for the whole thing.

Danny ran a hand through his droopy black hair. "Look, I'm going to go find Tucker's room number. Rest up, okay?" And he left, leaving Sam to ponder about his last sentence.

_Was he actually being **nice** to me? Or did I imagine it? _Sam thought. _Maybe, I'm not sure, but maybe Danny is starting to like me more…_

She blushed right after thinking that last thought.

_I hope he finds Tucker. _

* * *

Danny took the elevator up to the top floor, pondering about almost everything. His job, his nearly dead best friend, his mission that had yet to begin, and Sam, his new partner. _What was with her anyway? Why does she like to blame everything on me? _Danny thought. _Although, really, she is kind of pretty…Wait, did I just think that?_

Danny blushed right after thinking that last thought.

At long last, Danny reached the top floor of the hospital. The elevator doors opened, revealing a boring array of green and beige furniture. He saw the information desk and immediately walked to it.

A lady who looked to be twenty looked up and frowned at him. "Excuse me Sir, but this floor is reserved for confidential patients." She looked back down at her magazine. "Unless you can prove you are connected to any one person on this floor, I suggest you leave," she added in a none-to-friendly way.

Halfway grumbling, Danny showed her his CIA badge. "I'm here to see Tucker Foley, on behalf for the rest of the agency," he said, loving the dumbstruck expression on the lady's face. But she quickly recovered.

"Of course," She said, giving him a coy smile. "I didn't know you were," she pointed at his badge, "a CIA agent." She gave him another smile.

"Well, now you know," Danny snapped, impatient to see Tucker. "Now, could you please tell me where Tucker Foley is."

She frowned again and sighed. " Room number is 1200, which is down the hall to the right. Just follow the numbers and you'll find it." And with that, she returned to her magazine.

He raised his eyebrow at her and then set on his way. Down the hall and to the right was, like the lady said, room 1200. Danny opened the door almost timidly and walked in, shutting the door behind him.

He found Tucker sleeping, or more likely unconscious, and hooked up to a respirator. Actually, he was hooked up to a _lot_ of machines. His beret was missing, revealing his messy, dark curls.

Danny bit his lip. _Great, I can't talk to him. Then again, what did I expect? _He thought. He leaned up against a wall. _The Head Agent never said what exactly happened. Why would the serial killer attack Tuck, when they already have the software? _

The sound of footsteps brought Danny out of his thinking. Suddenly the footsteps stopped in front of the now opening door. A doctor walked in. At first, he didn't notice Danny, and had set down a file of papers on the desk at the far corner. Then he looked up to find ice blue eyes at him and jumped.

"Excuse me, Sir," the doctor said. "I'm afraid you are going to have to leave."

Danny raised an eyebrow. "I just got here."

The doctor spoke up. "I…_apologize_ for this inconvenience, but you must leave. I have important things to do." He walked towards the monitors with a clipboard, writing down the information. From what Danny could tell, the guy was foreign, about five feet six, and had black hair with intense eyes.

"Before I go," Danny began, "Do you happen to know what happened that set my friend in this hospital?"

The older man looked up from his clipboard, glaring at Danny. "Are you part of his family?" Danny slowly shook his head. "Then I cannot reveal that information. Now, if you please, I need to get back to my work."

Danny stood up straight and began walking towards the door. "Of course, I'll leave you to your work." Once he shut the door behind him, Danny narrowed his eyes in barely contained irritation.

What was it with people and bad additudes? Why couldn't he just, for _once_, meet someone who would say, "Okay, here's everything you need to know."! Was _someone_ up in the clouds holding a grudge against him or something?

Danny rubbed the back of his neck. _If I wasn't insane, I probably wouldn't be suspicious. _

_And if I wasn't an agent, I probably would've **never** thought of what I'm going to do next. _Quietly, he began striding back towards the information desk.

He silently rejoiced when he saw that the lady from before wasn't at her post.

When they were chatting, Danny's eyes had been roaming. And, by some sort of luck, he had seen a laptop.

Now that laptop was his prey.

His eyes once again roamed the room, checking to see if the coast was clear. Only a handful of people were there in the open, most of them either asleep or with their noses stuck in a magazine.

Confidently, Danny strode out, looking bored and uninterested in everything. He walked up to the desk and to the side a little bit. Then, as if he was walking towards the elevator, he nonchalantly picked up the laptop and walked away.

_Wow, _Danny thought, heart pumping wildly, _if anyone **did **see me, they probably would've sworn I was a professional pickpocket.._

He turned around and back through the hall. Then, he turned a corner, passing Tucker's room and coming across a blocked off part of the hospital.

Smiling, he pulled out a picklock and began working on the locked doors. He needed to get as far away from the information desk as possible, and more than likely, nobody was coming that way soon.

After a few minutes of concentrating, Danny got the doors to open. He quickly walked in, shutting the doors behind him.

What he saw before him was what looked, and smelled, like a newly added wing.

Danny randomly opened a room door, shut it, and sat on top of a hospital bed.

If he had thought his heart was beating fast when he stole the laptop, he obviously didn't know what he was talking about. Blood rushed wildly through his veins as he proceeded to turn on the portable computer.

Anticipation almost over took Danny as he mentally willed the computer to load. Luckily, it didn't take long.

What surprised Danny the most was the fact someone was already logged in, saving him the time of having to go and figure out a password.

_I love the simple things in life, _he thought as he eagerly began searching for patient information.

It seemed easy…too easy once he found the patients file. Shrugging his shoulders, he clicked on it...And sure enough, a box popped up with the words:** File not accessible!**

_Dammit._

Danny groaned, knowing it was too good to be true. But then he stopped mid groan and pulled out a small disk from his wallet.

As every good agent knows, hacking disks _always_ somehow find a way to be handy. And this was one of those times.

He inserted the disk into the drive, and re-clicked on the patients file. Sure enough, it worked. Danny reminded himself to thank Tucker for the disk…Once he woke up of course.

Danny found a search box and typed in the name "Tucker Foley." Within seconds, Tucker's whole hospital file appeared before his eyes.

His eyes, which were now the size of dinner platters, scanned the information. Finally, he came across the happenings in the attempted murder.

**Attempted Murder: Tucker Foley, found unconscious in apartment due to major electrocution from unknown source. Apparently shot once in the stomach. In critical condition, but expected to live…**

**Surgical Operation: LPST 743.5 744.6.**

**Last Updated: 3:15 P.M.**

"So that's what happened," Danny whispered. His jaw set, blue eyes flaring in silent anger. How dare anyone do that to his friend! Why, if he had it his way, that godammned serial killer would already be-

-_Wait._ Suddenly remembering the Head Agent, he dug his cell phone from his back pocket and dialed the agency's private number. His fingers punched in the numbers with more force than necessary, a silent result of his anger.

This wouldn't go unpunished.

"Daniel?" The Head Agent's voice sounded through the static.

"I got it," Danny replied. "Tucker was, I guess, electrocuted by an unknown source and shot once through the stomach." He winced as he tried to mentally recreate what had happened. "Ouch..."

"I'm surprised," the older man stated, and for once showing it. "I knew he was shot, but I didn't know he was electrocuted...Perhaps it was an Electronic Shock Bullet?"

Danny scrolled down the information once more, "It's definitely possible."

"That will be something for me to look in to," the other man on the line noted. "Good work, Fenton."

"Thank you, Sir," Danny replied automatically. " I try."

"I know you do," the Head Agent stated proffesionally. "Call me Drake. It's about time you did anyway."

"Uh, okay…Drake…" Danny replied, not noticing the dial tone until it was too late.

Once again, he shrugged his shoulders and put away his cell phone. Danny was about to shut down the laptop, now that he had the info he wanted, when he noticed a _very_ familiar name under a long list of confidential patients. _Samantha Manson._ That name instantly grabbed Danny's attention.

Something strange overcame him as he watched the screen in indecision.

Suddenly, he couldn't resist the temptation of seeing her file.

* * *

_Dun dun dun! So, what is in Sam's file? GIVE ME IDEAS! I NEED EM! _

_Oh, by the way, did you know the name Drake means dragon? I went on this one website and just found that out...weird…_

_Anyway, review please! And PLEASE give me ideas for the next chapter!_

_Lightning Streak_


	5. Who She Is

_Disclaimer: Yeah, I own Danny Phantom……(Police knock on my door.) Okay, okay, I don't! (Police go away.)_

_Reviews! They make my time here worthwhile. Thank you so much! I love my reviews, I love my reviews, I love my reviews…_

_Anyway, thank you for all the ideas. I think they helped a lot. You wouldn't believe how much trouble it took me to decide on this chapter's plot. So many ideas, but only one can prevail…And so I picked this one…I hope you enjoy it!_

_But anyway, I hope I don't let any of you down!_

_**11-10-08: Currently revising. Sorry if you catch any mistakes!**_

_

* * *

_

**Living On the Edge**

**Chapter 5: Who She Is**

"_What a tangled web we weave when we plan to deceive."_

* * *

Danny slowly moved the laptop's mouse to Sam's file, and the cursor hesitated on the icon.

Should he? Or should he not? He bit his lip and then he decided, of course he should! What did he know of Sam, besides her name? He hardly even knew who she was. And it wasn't like she was gonna say herself anytime soon...

He clicked on her name and found himself in her profile.

* * *

_**Samantha Manson,** Age: 21 height: 5,4" Weight: 124 lb. _

_Gender: female _

_Eye color: violet _

_Hair color: black _

_**Recent Health Problems**: Shot in right leg at 6:00 P.M, August 14, 2011. _

_**Reason:** Unknown… _

_**C**__**omplications:** Disrupted muscle ligaments, stress fractures, bruising of femur. _

**Surgical Operation: FLE 786.4 787.5**

_Expected to heal within two weeks._

* * *

The agent sighed impatiently, scrolling down the general facts.

So far, Danny knew all this. Where was her background information? "Come on, come on..." His eyes scanned the screen and he nearly slapped himself for being such an idiot. Near the end of her profile was a hyperlink stating : BACKGROUND INFORMATION. He clicked it and was soon caught up in her past.

* * *

_**Born:** August 30, 1989, Samantha Manson (**note to self**; call her Sam), _

_Raised in Cherokee, __South Carolina. At age fifteen, her parents died in a six car pile-up on Interstate I-195, leaving Sam in the foster care of Cherokee Orphanage and Care._

_Not much is known after age sixteen. No record of health status for years 2005-2007._

_Redocumentation at age seventeen._

_**Official Report 7/13/08**: Samantha Manson found washed up unconscious on a beach after the destructive Hurricane David. In her hand was a piece of paper. The contents were unattainable due to police-_

Danny was brought back to the present when he heard the door crash open and two policemen holding guns slam into its remains.. His eyes instantly widened, knowing that he was caught.

"You there!" came their angry, and obviously misinformed, voices. "Hands up!"

_Uh...I wonder if they'd believe me if I showed them my badge...Nah, they'd probably say it was fake. _

In the blink of an eye, he felt cold metal on his back while the other policeman snapped hand cuffs on him. "Hey, wait! I'm innocen-"

He was cut off. "You're under arrest for vandalism and breaking and entering. You have the right to remain silent." Danny was roughly pulled to his feet and carted out of the room without so much as a 'Nice day outside today.'

_Gee, I feel loved. _

Another instant in which his old powers would come in handy...

God, he hated his luck.

Now he knew how criminals felt when they were caught. All the stares from people, the humiliation, it was even worse than Danny had thought. He bowed his head as he was led down the elevator, through the large double doors, and finally into a police car.

"Please, can't you-" Danny tried again, only to be cut off…again.

"No. The evidence is against you. I suggest you remain quiet," the officer snapped, effectively shutting Danny up. He slammed the door shut before claiming the driver's seat. The car purred to life, and quickly they were on their way to the police station.

Danny rolled his eyes. How was he supposed to get out of this one? What would Drake, the Head Agent, think? Would he be kicked off the case? And what about Sam?

_Sam… _He inwardly winced. What was she gonna think? Not that he cared or anything...Okay, so maybe he did, but that was besides the point.

The cop car, which had been going almost ninety in a 45 speed limit zone, suddenly stopped, jolting Danny nearly off the back seat. When he regained balance, he looked out of the window to see the police station looming in front of him. Along with a donut shop next door. Go figure.

Danny was led out of the car and into the building, his gaze frustrated.

The officer's grip on his arm loosened the more closer they got to the center of the building. There, a slightly plump man eating a donut sat, perched rather precariously on a too-small wooden chair. He looked up from his book to see his comrades and a very familiar face.

Danny almost sighed of relief. He knew this officer! Maybe there was hope.

With a wave of the sheriff's hand, the other two cops released Danny and walked away. "Again?" the sheriff asked, bemused.

"Again," Danny replied. His wrists were beginning to chafe from the handcuffs, and it wasn't comfortable.

"Twice in one year?" the officer, formally known as Raoul, inquired. "For an agent, that's pretty bad." He took a bite off his donut. "But since you just happened to help me on a few cases, I'll help you out too."

Danny's eyes lit up. "Thank you!" He went to shake the officer's hand, only to re-realize his cuffed hands. "Ummm…"

Raoul noticed. "Oh!" He took out a set of keys and unlocked Danny's handcuffs. "I didn't know you were cuffed." The agent smiled forcedly, but then he gratefully rubbed his wrists. Circulation was a wonderful thing.

"So...Do you think I could borrow a car or call someone to pick me up?"

"Sure," Raoul said, handing him a phone. "Now if you'll excuse me, I must go and return to the rest of this delicious package of donuts." He winked in jest before returning to his reports, only occasionally picking up a donut. He left Danny to his own devices.

Danny, in turn, punched in the H.A.'s cell phone number and let it ring. Finally he heard Drake pick up. "Hello?"

"Uh…I, uh…Well, I…" Danny was at loss for words. What should he say?

On the other line, the H.A. rolled his eyes. "Daniel, you are twenty one years old. Speak like an adult."

"Right."

"Aren't you going to tell me why you called?" Amusement tinged Drake's voice.

"Yeah, I was getting to that!" Danny said defensively. "I was trying to get some information on Tucker's condition and I-" He was interrupted.

"Got caught." Drake finished for him. "I take it you are at the police station, yes? I'll send someone to come pick you up."

A dial tone appeared before Danny could say anything else. Needless to say, that got very annoying to him. He plopped back down on a wooden stool with a huff, mixed with unsortable emotions.

Oh, his life was a blast. Yes, everything was going _swimmingly_, just as he had planned.

Danny snorted.

His thoughts wondered back to Sam's profile. She obviously had a strange past…That was a given. But just how strange was it? And what the heck did that paper say?!

* * *

Twenty minutes later, he found himself waiting, yet again.

His fellow agent had been drafted to pick up Sam from the hospital as well. Apparently, the H.A. wanted to kill two birds with one stone. How convenient.

At that moment, the car door opened. Danny looked up and found two violet eyes staring back at him. And the owner of the violet eyes was clearly surprised, but quickly hid it under a bored expression. Wrong door.

"I see our very own convict escaped," she commented casually. Danny face faulted. How infuriating could a woman possible be?

_I am **not** a convict! _

Before he could retort back, he caught himself- it wouldn't do him any good to lose to a verbal war. He instead glared and slammed his door shut, refusing to scoot over for her. She darkly glared back, but took his challenge with a grain of salt. She hobbled around to the other side of the car, clumsily pulling the door open. After some difficulty with her crutches, she managed to slide onto the leather seats, protectively favoring her injured leg.

"Ha." She flickered her eyes over to Danny. "I win."

But as she settled herself in the seat, she realized how ticked off Danny was at her. He didn't reply, nor did he acknowledge her presence for quite some time. Sam gave him a strange look before fastening her seatbelt, almost remotely worried.

She also suddenly realized how close he was to her. Or was it the other way around?

Finally, the male agent took a deep breath, flickering his gaze up to hers. "You'll pay for that 'convict' comment later," Danny stated calmly. Sam just narrowed her eyes. _It was your fault anyway. I merely stated the truth. _She looked away from his penetrating eyes.

The car roared to life with Mark the other agent, behind the wheel. Soon enough, they were flying past the busy streets of Washington D.C. Silence reigned within the Mercedes. And it wasn't at all a comfortable one. Sam constantly squirmed to get situated while Danny sighed from time to time, apparently reflecting on something within.

A couple times, Sam caught him stealing glances. _Why is he staring at me? _she thought, and a slight blush appeared on her features. _Why do I even care? _She looked out the window for the rest of the ride. However, she couldn't help but feel Danny's eyes bore straight through her.

_What's he thinking about anyway?

* * *

_

Sam found herself resting on a couch ten minutes later. What to do now? All she could do for a while would be rest.

And she hated rest.

Who actually _liked_ being cooped up all day when they could be doing a million other things? Like, a _mission,_ for example. Her thoughts wandered, adventuring much farther than her physical body. Sky-diving, target practice, espionage...

And then for some reason, she thought of Danny. That infuriating, selfish, conniving_, insolent _idiot. _And yet, _Sam thought, _I feel as though, for some ungodly reason, I can trust him._ Her thoughts were vaguely detailed from the accident, but she clearly remembered the way he held her as he rushed to the ambulance...whispering words she couldn't remember for the life of her. But as her blush grew, her internal fear of trust exploded into terror. She couldn't trust him. She couldn't trust _anyone._

_Not after last time_… _And most definitely not now. _Her violet eyes hardened, and she focused on something less personal before her memories surface again.

_No. I can't let that happen._

* * *

At 12:17 A.M, Danny looked up from his paperwork and sighed. His vision was blurring again; the universal sign of fatigue. Yep. One of the reasons why he much preferred to be in the field. Yet as he shuffled his papers into a file, something about the shadows around him caught his attention.

He stopped shuffling, if only to listen. Nothing.

He felt a cold chill rush up and down his spine. Something wasn't right, that much he could tell. Darting his eyes around the office, he found nothing out of place. So what was he worried about?

_Relax, _he told himself. _You're just paranoid. _

Even though he knew no one was there, he quickly grabbed his jacket and keys and practically ran out of his office to go home. _I need a vacation. Really bad…_

It was like someone was watching him.

He never even noticed the green mist surrounding the window.

_

* * *

_Danny opened his apartment door ten minutes later and shut it behind him. He leaned against it for a moment, too tired to walk. He exhausted-no, he was beyond exhausted. He was, without a doubt, by nearly every definition and language connotation, dead tired. He barely covered a yawn, but then it hit him that he was home, and that it didn't matter anymore if he was polite. His jaw cracked after his second yawn, and by his third, he'd trudged to the bedroom.

He hung his keys on the key rack and laid his jacket down on a chair. Danny looked at the clock to find the time as 1:04 AM.

Groaning, he collapsed down on his bed, and closed his eyes. _Ahh..._He couldn't wait for sleep.

..._Yep, anytime now..._

After a while, he peeped open one eye to see the time. 1:37 A.M.

And, of course, he couldn't sleep. He moaned pathetically. "You're kidding me, right?" he whined outloud, as if blaming someone else for his problems.

He flopped on his back, locking his fingers behind his head. The only thing else to do would be thinking, which was what he ended up happening.

Danny's thoughts roamed back to Sam's profile. Being washed up on a beach after a hurricane? Now that was something he couldn't picture happening to him.

Something teased his mind, hinting a loophole in the story. Suddenly, a thought hit is brain like lightning.

The note! His eyes widened in surprise. He couldn't believe he hadn't figured it before!_ How could paper possibly survive water? Not to mention being readable afterwards? _Danny mentally debated with the possibilites.

And then, it hit him like a ton of bricks.

_Someone knew Sam would be washed up on shore, and planted it in her hand before she was found by others. And what that note said could be unlimited. However, if someone went through all that trouble to give it to her, it would have to be important, logically speaking anyway. _

_I wonder...is it possible maybe she was being_…_blackmailed? _

_And what if she still is?_

His blue eyes darkened in concern.

* * *

_Yay! Another chapter! (hand throbs.) Ouch…I apologize for taking all eternity to upload this story. I've been working on a research paper for school and I've been trying to bring up my math grade._

_But another thing that kept me from typing the chapter was that I decided to create another story! Go me! I'll tell you a little bit about it. It will be another Alternate Universe because I believe that idea isn't over used in this category of Fan-fiction. But that's all I'm telling, or else I'll ruin it for you. But believe me, I think you'll like it if you like this story._

_I plan on writing the first chapter now so that no one can take my idea. You know, so it can be my idea and my idea only. Can't blame me there, can ya?_

_And so, I shall leave you with this cliff hanger once again. I'm still working on the first chapter to my other AU story, so watch out for it please!_

_I think you all know the drill: You review, and I'll update faster!_

_Until next time!_

_-Lightning Streak_

_**Please Review!**_

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	6. Within the Depths of Her Eyes

_Disclaimer: Nope, don't own DP…_

_Wow…just wow…75+ reviews for only 5 chappies? That has got be my world record! Thank you so much! I really appreciate the support everyone has given me! You know, I should start doing personal review replies... That might be fun!_

_Oh, remember when last chapter I mentioned starting another story? I'm done with the first chapter! YAY! _

_If your lost about what's happening, just read the last sentence of my last update. _

_So, without further adieu, I shall leave you to the highlight of this update……_**

* * *

**

**Living On the Edge**

**Chapter 6: Within the Depths of Her Eyes**

* * *

**_EXACTLY ONE WEEK AND TWO DAYS LATER

* * *

_**

The first thing Sam noticed was how tired Danny looked when he walked in the room. And the oddest thing of all was that she felt...concerned?

It had been almost a week and a half since she was shot. And thankfully, her wound had healed. She kept an emotionless face on as she studied Danny, masking her inner thoughts.

_I wonder what he's been up to that would cause him to lose sleep..._

Danny sat down next to Sam and look at the Head Agent expectantly. "So, umm…Why am I here again?"

Drake looked up from his papers. "To discuss your plane flight, money accounts, ect."

"At four in the morning?" Danny inquired skeptically.

"We cannot afford to delay this mission one more day," Drake stated. "Do you think we _can_ afford to let the killer take down more people everyday we wait?"

Danny then realized what the accident had cost. And he wasn't thinking about money. "Oh." _I really should think before I speak_…

"Yeah," Sam added sarcastically. "Oh."

"Continuing on," the Head Agent tried to break the tension. "We will…actually _you, _will lift off in two hours. At that time, you will stick together, is that clear?" Grudgingly, Sam and Danny nodded.

"You will land in St. Petersburg after a 13 hour flight." Danny groaned. It was another one of _those _flights. "From there, you will call me once you get to your hotel, the Sapphire Cove. We will have all your moves plotted down by then, at which you'll receive your orders. Any questions?"

Danny shook his head. "Nope."

"What about aliases?" Sam inquired.

Drake cleared his throat. "We've decided it would be a waste of time for us to give you an alias. You will go as yourselves, only you still are a 'couple' visting the world, and you still can't let anyone know your true occupation."

"I was hoping you forgot about the whole couple thing," Sam sourly replied. "But apparently not…"

"No comment," Danny said, rubbing his temples. What could he say? He was still trying to wake up and didn't want to feel Sam's wrath just yet.

"The feeling's mutual," Sam added, furthermore crossing her arms.

"Well then," Drake said, "You have an hour and forty-five minutes to do anything you want. We'll come get you when the plane's ready. You're dismissed."

Sam and Danny both got up from their seats and walked out the door. Awkward silence was a good way to describe the air between them.

"So," Sam asked to break it, "what's there to do around here?"

"There's an arcade around here somewhere," Danny replied.

Sam spotted a couch. A large, _fluffy_, empty couch. "I think I'll just sleep."

Danny raised an eyebrow. "Lively today, aren't we?"

"Aren't I always?" Sam had a feeling she knew where this was going…

"Can you prove that?" Danny knew _exactly _where this was going…

"Is that a challenge?"

"Are you up to one?"

"If I wasn't, I could never call myself an agent."

"Fine then. The arcade. Air hockey. Right now."

"You're on." And thus it began.

* * *

Five minutes later, they entered the dimly light arcade. Finding the hockey table, Sam picked the far end. Danny pushed the on button and the table began glowing a green and blue color. He set a puck down and asked, "Ready for a miserable defeat?"

Sam fired back. "Might it be you that should be concerned?" She blocked and sent the puck flying right into Danny's goal. She smiled broadly. "You have awful blocking skills." Her smile was interrupted with a yawn.

Danny said nothing as he pulled the puck out of his goal. But he couldn't resist for long. "This means war, you do realize that?"

"Of _course_."

* * *

And so, the battle for winner continued. The puck became a swirling piece of plastic fury half way through the game. And then…the score was tied; 9 to 9.

"This is so cliché," Sam commented casually. She pulled the puck from her goal and set it in the middle of the table.

Before Danny had a chance to react, Sam had hit the puck and sent it flying into his goal.

She yawned. "You have a lot to learn about _proper_ air hockey battle." Sam was beginning to feel her sleepless night take a toll on her body. She yawned again, much to her own annoyance.

Suddenly, Danny yawned as he turned off the table. "Yawning is contagious, isn't it?" he asked Sam. When he got no answer, Danny turned around to see Sam asleep, leaning against the wall.

Yellow and red arcade lights danced on her features as the air conditioner played with her raven hair, sending it lightly swirling around her face.

Danny couldn't help but smile at her.

Irritating as she was, Sam was beautiful and cunning, no doubt about it. His heart began to beat a little faster in his chest. Even if he tried to deny it...

He walked toward her and gently picked her up bridal style. Danny blushed five shades of red when Sam moved, cuddling closer to him. Her head curved perfectly into the crook of his neck, and for a second, he felt like a puzzle piece in a much grander scheme of life.

They fit together, he realized.

He looked down at her and relaxed his tense muscles. _She's **asleep**; it's not like she can pull a Kung Fu on me. _Sighing, Danny gently set her down on the closest couch, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

And as Danny walked away, Sam opened up one eye.

_I **knew** it, _she thought. She closed her eye again and let sleep overcome her, too tired to care about much else.

* * *

Sam felt herself being shaken and woke up to see Danny's face just inches from her's. "It's time to board the airplane," he announced, stiffly standing up.

"Uhh…Okay," she replied, still a little uncoordinated from sleeping. "What time is it?"

"It's about 5:50 in the morning. Come on, when need to leave. Right _now._ _Soon_." Danny was getting impatient as Sam purposely took her sweet time in getting up.

"Geez, we still have ten minutes. And I doubt the plane is going to leave without us," Sam replied. She stretched and yawned once more.

"I don't have time for this," Danny grumbled, still miffed about losing half a night's sleep.

Suddenly, Sam felt two strong arms gently lift her off the couch. "Wha-?" She asked, looking straight into electric blue eyes. She became _very_ aware of how close they were…

If she just turned her head two inches to the right, the distance wouldn't be there...

Danny looked away from her piercing gaze and began walking out. "Well, I would have died from old age if I had to wait on you to get up," he stated matter-of-factly.

Something sparkled in her eyes. "Well," she began, "perhaps I just like torturing you?" _Bold today, aren't we? _her mind questioned.

"Most likely," he replied. While he kept a neutral expression, his heart beat betrayed him. As Sam leaned up against him, she felt it quicken even more. _He's supposed to be a jerk! What happened? My first impression of him was good. Second was less than pleasant… Third was…interesting. And now, just after a week, I'm suddenly attracted to him _…

_**Why can't I make up my mind?!**_

The more romantic side of her thoughts dashed itself to pieces once he let go. She barely caught herself before she stumbled, and the female agent glared darkly in the direction but said nothing.

"There, that was much faster." He ran a hand through his hair, mentally commanding his heart to slow down and his blush to stop from getting any redder.

A quick walk brought the two before the office.

He opened his office door, retrieved his duffle bag and shut the door. "Where's your stuff?" he asked curiously.

"I figured I'd lose it before we lifted off, so, before you came, I put it on the plane."

"Oh."

An uncomfortable silence produced between the agents. Finally, someone broke the silence. "Uh…We might want to start walking to the plane," Sam said.

"Right." And so, after finding the back doors, Danny and Sam strode outside.

The sun had not risen yet, leaving them to follow the light poles. "Nice plane," Danny commented, looking at their transportation.

Thejet itself was medium-sized and was silver. It looked almost brand-new to the untrained eye. It even had a lime green stripe of lights going down the sides.

"Yep," Sam agreed. _At the very least, I bet they have comfortable seats. _

_They **better **have comfortable seats. _

The Head Agent was standing next to it, wearing an expectant expression on his face. As they walked over, he said, "I trust you two got enough sleep?"

Sam snorted. "_Please_, Danny kept me up for an air hockey game…I don't consider that sleep."

"You could have turned it down, you know," Danny retorted.

"Lucky for you, it's long flight to Russia. I'm sure you'll have more than enough time to sleep," Drake assured them.

Sam raised an eyebrow as Danny groaned. _What's hisproblem **now**? I normally sleep in at least nine hours anyway. That leaves only four of reading or something like that. That's not too bad, considering I've been on sixteen hour flights. Now **that's** painful. _

"If you have any questions, you will be able to contact us." Drake motioned for someone to take Danny's bags. "Even though everything is calm and going well now, don't let it deceive you. This mission _will _prove to be a challenge. I wish you luck."

Blue lights flashed, signaling the agents to board the plane. "We'll take your words to heart," Sam responded. She and Danny walked up the stairs and waved. They turned back around and continued into the plane.

If they had thought the outside looked good, they had another thing coming. The inside wasn't like a regular plane; more like a celebrity's.

Gone were the cramped seats of a regular plane. Replacing them were brown leather couches.

Gone was the regular boring interior…Replacing that was the haven of all things comfortable and squishy.

"Wow…" Sam said. She found her bags lying next to a couch. "I could get used to this." She sunk into the squishy couch. "Too bad I can't have one of these forever."

"I know the feeling." Danny sat down on a different couch and buckled on a seat belt. "You might want to buckle up. We're starting to take off."

Sam quickly locked the seat belt into place up as the plane began picking up momentum. In no time at all, the back engines kicked in, sending them into flight. Sam and Danny felt themselves being pushed into the back of their couch due to the sheer speed of the airplane.

She stared out of the window, looking down as the jet flew higher and higher.

_It's so beautiful from up here, _Sam realized with a content smile. The sun had just begun to peek out of the mountains, casting various hues of purple and red across the landscape below.

_Too bad I don't get to see this everyday. _

After a few minutes, it was safe to unbuckle. Sam tucked her seat belt under the couch cushions and laid down.

_Maybe this couch will make up for the air hockey game. _

"I don't know about you," she said inbetween yawns, "but I'm tired and need sleep. Could you turn off the lights above me? You're closer to the switches."

"Lazy," Danny grumbled, but nonetheless turning off the lights.

Sam curled up and snuggled into her sweatshirt. Sleep was the inevitable…

* * *

Sometime later, Danny looked over at the unmoving lump across from him and smiled. Sam looked to be the perfect image of innocence…

He looked down at his book and instead of reading, was lost in his own thoughts.

_I don't know what to think about Sam. I'm supposed to hate her. What happened?

* * *

_

**YES! I finally got done! I'm so sorry that took so long. I just got back one hour ago from my grandparents' house. I couldn't update or anything with their computer so that threw me off too. Actually, this chapter was supposed to come out two weeks ago….. -sheepish smile-….**

**I'd like to thank Divagurl277 for being my inspiration in not only this story, but in my other ones as well. **

**Please review! I need ideas to help me out! What should I consider doing next?**

**Lightning Streak**

**

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**

**REVIEW REPLIES:**

**Dannys-Ghostly-Girl: **_Actually, he can have his powers or not in this fic. It's however you want to look at it. But in my opinion, I like Human Danny better than Danny Phantom, so I write more about him. _

**Cheese: **_Well, I wrote/typed more for ya! I hope you liked it!_

**DannyPhantomLover: **_Well, I DID update...just not so soon as you probably wanted. Thanks for putting up with my short attention span!_

**Mikaphantom: **_I'm very tempted to take you up on that math offer :) anyway, thank you for da compliment!_

**Khrystiana: **_Thanks! I'm glad that someone else finally sees what I've been trying to get across to people. I just want a realistic story... Of course, I think I took WAY too much time updating... :) Thanks for the review!_

**Halfatheory357: **_I've never heard that song before...Hmm, now I'm tempted to listen to it. My research papers were finally due just last week. I GOT THEM DONE! YAY! -cough cough- Sorry, that's a pretty big accomplsihment for me...Umm...what about the eight? _

**Moon's Hope: **_Thank you very much! _

**Divagurl277:**_ You're still the Queen of Fluffiness, you know. Anyway, thankies for da review! And yes, I DO need your inspirational help._

**KelseyAlicia: **_Sorry I haven't emailed you! My parents have this huge thing of not giving out my email address. Hey, I know that song! hums the words to secret Agent ... _

_:D_

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	7. Lethal Spirals

_Disclaimer: Nope, I'm not an idiot enough to actually pretend I own Danny Phantom…I can hope though, right?_

_I feel so bad! I used to update nearly every other day, and now it's practically every month……Please try to understand that my creative juices are going up in smoke right now….._

_And I'm also sorry about not updating my other stories. I have about a third of the next chapter of Into Sudden Darkness and only a page typed of Desperado…I know, I really need to concentrate more…_

_And so, I leave you with the next chapter of my masterpiece:_

* * *

**Living On the Edge**

**Chapter 7: Lethal Spirals**

* * *

Danny sighed. He couldn't fall asleep, he already finished his book, and Sam was too unconscious to the world to talk to him. Boredom was driving him to near insanity.

Having nothing else to do Danny got up and walked towards the cooler with all the drinks stored in it. Spotting a root beer, he opened the can and took it for himself.

_Good God, I think I'm dying. What's this do? _Danny picked up a remote control from the table. Several buttons were apparent, but none actually said what they were for.

And, of course, like anyone would have done, Danny randomly pushed a button…

And all mayhem broke loose.

Sound systems from absolutely nowhere blasted music at top volume; the lights flickered as they changed colors; cold air shot from the air conditioners. But the worst of all: Sam woke up…

Danny winced when he saw Sam jerk straight up. _And here I was hoping NOT to invoke her wrath. _He gulped as he tried to turn off…whatever was going on.

And he effectively only managed to make it worse.

"You _idiot!_" Sam snarled at him. Danny blanched when she began walking his way.

She glared daggers at him, snatching the remote away from his guilty hands. She pressed one button (notice just _one_) and all that had gone out of control immediately restored themselves back to their original state.

"And _that's _how it's done," She said smugly. Her mood suddenly changed. "You know, do you _have_ a death wish? Cause you're seriously asking for one."

"Hey! I didn't know what-"

"I was finally getting a good night's sleep and no_! _You have to wake me up _again_!What's your problem?" Sam crossed her arms, sitting back down on the couch.

"I never said I had a problem," Danny responded.

A silence erupted between both of them. Danny, who was fidgeting uncomfortably, just about apologized…

…Until he saw Sam's reaction. Amusement clearly shined from her violet eyes. She slowly cracked a smile and laughed.

Danny, on the other hand, was confused. _Umm…what just happened? _"Uh…"

"Danny, you're such an idiot," She said, a small smile on her lips. "But you're a funny idiot."

He rolled his eyes. "Thanks. I'll hold those words of confidence close to my heart forever."

Sam snickered. "I'm sure you will."

Silence fell upon them once again. But this time, it wasn't uncomfortable. It was…almost…_relaxed. _Which considering them, it was a pretty big deal.

"So..." Danny drawled out, trying to strike up conversation, but unable to come up with something to say.

And, suddenly, the entire airplane jerked, jerking Sam and Danny a few feet from where they once were.

"The hell?" Sam cried out in irritation, rubbing her elbow. "What was that?" Danny helped her up.

Attempts to get up were given a rain check as the airplane lethally tipped sideways…

And this time, it had our two favorite agents worried. They gripped onto the couch in order to sustain themselves from drastically falling to the lower end of the plane.

"I'll be right back," Danny said, carefully walking towards the cock pit.

"I'm going with you," Sam replied. Danny barely nodded as they avoided the moving objects around them.

Sam yelped when the plane began stalling, her mind clearly sensing danger. Danny put a hand on Sam's shoulder, trying to calm her down a little.

_I can still remember my first plane disaster, _Danny thought. _Not a pleasant experience_…

_Can't really say much for this situation either. _

Both agents grimaced when they opened the door to the cock pit.

The pilot wasn't piloting: he was unconscious…

…And the air plane decided to suddenly do a full out nose-dive. Danny and Sam crashed to the floor from the impact, mere G-force holding them back.

With a grimace, Sam crawled next to the fallen pilot and checked his pulse. There was none what-so-ever. Her eyes widened.

"Uh, Danny? Our pilot's dead!"

**"What!"** _You have **got** to be kidding me. _

Of course, by that time, Danny had made his way to the controls and pulled back on the lever, trying to stabilize the air craft.

Sam pulled her hand away from the dead pilot and tried to focus on the plane's flight…Which, by the way, wasn't smooth sailing at the time…

"Danny, you dolt! Don't pull the lever all the way back!"

"Well, what am I supposed to do!"

"Not pull back so hard!" Sam braced herself as she carefully stood up and walked towards Danny.

"You know what, Danny? Move out of the way, you can't steer."

Danny felt himself being pushed out of the way and slammed into the wall.

"Hey!"

"Well, if you weren't standing there like an idiotic Neanderthal, then I wouldn't have had to do that!"

It was then that Danny noticed that the air craft was slowly regaining control. And Sam was the reason why. Unfortunately. Well, for Danny at least.

_I didn't know she could fly a plane. Huh, weird. Hey, wait a minute. Did she just call me a Neanderthal! _

Danny couldn't come up with an insult to rival Sam's. So, he just stayed quiet as the plane was eventually stabilized.

"Why is it that _I_ have to do everything?" Sam asked Danny in an annoyed tone.

"Why is it that you _think_ you know everything?"

"Why don't you just call the Head Agent and tell him what happened so then I don't have to do it myself?"

"Fine." Danny realized that getting into an argument during their predicament was just plain stupid. He scowled and pulled from out of his pocket a cell phone.

Searching through the directory, he found Drake's number and dialed it.

"Uh, Drake?" he asked when their connection was made. "We've got a couple of problems. The pilot's dead, probably from some sort of poison. And chances are, we have absolutely no idea where we are. At least_ I_ don't."

"Get in contact with St. Petersburg's airport," was Drake's response. Ask for directions to get there, considering the pilot probably didn't leave those, and also ask about which runway to enter into."

The connection was cut off before the agent could get another word in edgewise.

_Geez, that get's annoying. _

Danny sighed, and turned to face Sam. "If you can pilot a plane, then I can safely assume you know how to use the radio?"

"Wow," Sam said, pretending to be surprised. "Perhaps you do have a brain after all." She sighed. "Yes, Danny, I can use the radio." She rolled her eyes and flipped a switch located just to the right of the compass.

"Wait, before I signal the airport, do you know what kind of plane this is?" Sam asked.

"Well," Danny drawled out, "even though you _think_ I'm stupid, I actually did look on the side of the plane. It's Cessna 963."

Sam smiled and flipped the second switch. "Cessna 963 to Pulkovo National Airway. Do you copy?"

Danny and Sam waited for a few seconds before the crackling sound of the radio was replaced by someone's voice. "Pulkovo National Airway to Cessna 963. What do you need? Over."

"Something's happened to the pilot and now he can't steer the plane." Sam looked over at the pilot's body, shuddering at death. _That_ part of what happened hadn't actually been acknowledged by her brain yet. "We need to know how to get to your airport and which runway to take. Over."

"Roger that. Do you know where you are right now? Over."

Sam looked out the side window. "Looks like we're still over the ocean. We only boarded the plane four hours ago." She looked over at the compass. "We're heading South, that much I can tell."

Over at the airport, the man rubbed his temples. "Hold on for a minute. I'm going to track you on the computer." In less than a minute, he located their plane. "From this point on, fly Northeast. You'll be able to find the airport with no trouble. Take runway 4."

"Do you know how long it will take to get there?"

"You've got about 8 ½ more hours."

Danny groaned and shut his eyes in mock pain. Sam wasn't any better.

_Great. _Sam thought. _Now I have to be a makeshift pilot. Just what I've **always** wanted to do in life_…

"Well," Danny said sheepishly, "at least we know it could be worse."

Sam sighed again as she searched for the automatic flight controls. Finding them, she punched in the number of miles she guessed they would have to go to see Europe. After that, she would fly manually.

"Yeah, but you don't have to be the one to fly us all the way to St. Petersburg." Sam decided to lighten up the tension in the air. "Why," she said airily, "I feel faint already."

Since the plane was on an automatic flying system, she could let go of the lever. Sam pretended to fall backwards, as though fainting, and figured she could catch herself before she actually fell.

However, she wasn't expecting to feel two strong arms suddenly wrap around her shoulders, stopping her from carrying out her fake faint.

And it didn't take a genius to know who those arms belonged to.

"I suppose I'll just have to catch you then, huh?" Danny challenged, staring intensely into Sam's eyes.

Their gazes locked as time stood still.

And suddenly, the tension Sam was trying to relieve by fake fainting doubled.

"Yeah," Sam breathed, answering Danny's question.

_I'm losing, _Sam thought, both panicked and entranced. _I'm officially losing. I'm getting hooked on this guy and I'm getting hooked good_…

* * *

**I apologize (again) for a really late chapter. You see, my older sister has been moving into her new apartment on campus and so we've been trying to get all her stuff ready…and yeah...I just don't have the time I did when I first started on Fanfiction. I'm sorry! **

**Hmmm…You know, it's so interesting that I keep coming up with all of these really cool new story ideas, but I can't seem to type a chapter…Ever have one of those days where you can't type anything good? I've been stuck like that for the past two weeks.**

**I'm seriously beginning to wonder how authors who type 15 page chapters actually do that in a week. How? **

**But yep, that's my thoughts.

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**

**_REVIEW REPLIES

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_**

**_Divagurl277_: **_Aww, thank you so much! I really have appreciated everything you've done to help me and I hope that we can still be inspiration towards each other! (coughs.) Of course, I haven't been exactly Miss Inspired lately. I hope your chapters are coming along! _

_**Moon's Hope: **Once again, I have to say that I love having such a consistent reviewer! Thank you very much! _

_**KelseyAlicia: **Well, as you know, I did read your story. (Sighs.) I miss that story…Anyway, thanks for the compliment and I'd really love it if you could tell me your thoughts about this chapter too:D_

_**Khrystiana: **Hehe, I guess you were right. During the next chapter, I'll explain a little more about the dead pilot dude, but I really wanted to put a Danny/Sam moment in there. I'm glad that you enjoy this story and I also hope that you enjoyed this chapter as well! _

_**Halfatheory357: **Hello again! Who am I, you ask? Well, I really wish I could tell you, but my parents have this thing about not giving out my identity over the internet. I can tell you though, that I am merely a girl who practically lives off the internet within her room in Indiana. However, that's all I'm giving out. RANDOMNESS RULES! (cough cough.) Ahem, yeah. Thanks for reviewing!_

_**DannyPhantomLover: **(Laughs.) I know where you're coming from on that. I still feel bad about not updating my other story until four months later…And while I can't say this was a very quickly typed chapter, I can say that it's more. I hope you liked it!_

_**Sailor Attitude: **Wow, that has to be the most enthusiastic review I've ever gotten. YAY! Thank you! When I saw your review in my inbox, I actually began writing this chapter, I was so inspired! And, once again, I'm sorry it took forever for me to update…I'm trying at least, right?_

_**Cyllwen: **You're right. This fic would probably be more action packed if Danny had powers. However, I've decided to throw in something in later chapters about this, so who knows? But as of the moment, I'd like to see Danny as just Danny Fenton. (Sighs.) I hope you still like it though! _

_**Faith's Melody: **YAY! Another AU reader! (Does a happy dance.) I'm so happy that you like this one. I consider AU stories fun to write and I'm glad I've found another person who enjoys stuff like that. And so, I feel obligated to thank you for reviewing!

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_

**Hmmm…..I guess now would be the time for me to ask you to review, yes? Well, I'm also going to ask you for ideas. I've no idea what to do for the next chapter, and the more ideas I get, the easier it is for me to write. PLEASE REVIEW AND HELP ME! **

**An authoress in desperate need of help, **

**Lightning Streak**


	8. Secrets

_Disclaimer: I, Lightning Streak, Hereby declare that DP and the CIA are not my own creations._

_Joyfulness! (Does the Happy Dance.) Reviews, reviews, reviews! THANK YOU SNEA FOR BEING MY 100th REVIEWER!_

_However, I would really appreciate criticism on this story. Is there anything I can improve on?_

_

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_

_**Last time in Living on the Edge: **_

_Sam sighed again as she searched for the automatic flight controls. Finding them, she punched in the number of miles she guessed they would have to go to see Europe. After that, she would fly manually._

"_Yeah, but you don't have to be the one to fly us all the way to St. Petersburg." Sam decided to lighten up the tension in the air. "Why," she said airily, "I feel faint already."_

_Since the plane was on an automatic flying system, she could let go of the lever. Sam pretended to fall backwards, as though fainting, and figured she could catch herself before she actually fell._

_However, she wasn't expecting to feel two strong arms suddenly wrap around her shoulders, stopping her from carrying out her fake faint._

_And it didn't take a genius to know who those arms belonged to._

"_I suppose I'll just have to catch you, huh?" Danny challenged, staring intensely into Sam's eyes._

_Their gazes locked as time stood still._

_And suddenly, the tension Sam was trying to relieve by fake fainting doubled._

"_Yeah," Sam breathed, answering Danny's question._

_**I'm losing, **Sam thought. **I'm officially losing. I'm getting hooked on this guy and I'm getting hooked good**_……

* * *

**Living On the Edge**

**Chapter 8: Secrets**

**

* * *

**

Danny had no idea what he was thinking when he caught Sam. Maybe he just wanted to add to the dramatic effect, to act the part. Or maybe it was because he saw it as a perfect chance to hold Sam without getting punched.

Either way, it still created enough tension that was almost too tough to cut with a knife. A military-grade knife. Which had the ability to cut diamonds.

"Uh, Danny? You can let go of me now," Sam whispered, stuttering, and desperately trying to avoid his eyes.

_So much for trying to goof off a little, _Sam thought._ I got way more than I expected_…

"Right," Danny said quickly, helping Sam back into a standing position.

And when they both saw each other blushing, the agents only blushed a deeper shade of red.

"Uh...I'm going to go check on the navigator," Sam stated, and high-tailed it back to the controls.

Danny, on the other hand, just stood there and watched Sam.

_Note to self: Remind me to do that again in the future. _Danny turned around and headed back to the couch. The nice, fluffy, leather, couch.

You know, the non-confusing type of couch that doesn't give you headaches. Danny sat down and took a deep breath. _Okay, Danny. You've had your moment of weakness, now focus on the mission! _

But that could have easily been the hardest thing for Danny at the moment.

Sam's duffel bag was lying unguarded on the couch opposite of him.

And something was glinting from the sunlight that seeped through the barely opened bag.

Oh, the temptation.

Although, what could he say? He had an attraction to shiny things...

Danny risked a glance over at Sam. She wasn't paying attention to him. Now would be the chance.

He quietly moved to the other couch and oh so carefully opened up the bag.

Danny's jaw dropped open at what he saw.

Now, normally, anyone would look to see what the shining object was. And, normally, they would find a wrapper, a coin, or perhaps even a piece of jewelry.

But not a golden bar…Definitely not a golden bar.

He glanced again at Sam in a sort of shocked stupor. _How did she...Where did she...? _Danny lifted the trophy-sized bar out of it's case, analyzing the artifact.

He traced the imprinted picture on the front with his fingertips. The picture was of a countryside mansion.

Suddenly, recognition hit him full force. He'd seen this design before!

_That design-It couldn't be! The last time I've seen this was when that vault of golden bars were stolen in Paris, France. _He looked at Sam again.

_And those bars were never found. _

_So, how the heck does Sam have-_

"What are you doing?" Sam's voice interrupted his thoughts.

_Oh crap. _He was caught. He most certainly couldn't smooth-talk his way out of it.

And Danny knew instantly by her tone that she _definitely _wasn't happy.

"Where'd you get this?" he asked, making sure his voice didn't betray his thoughts.

"Why do you want to know?" Sam replied defensively. "Why were you in my stuff in the first place!" She grabbed the bar out of Danny's guilty hands and stuffed it back into her bag.

"I'm curious," was Danny's pert reply.

"For your information, _secret agent man_, I was given that as a gift from my parents. When they died, they left it for me in their will."

"…Oh."

"Yeah. Oh." Sam's voice still held hostility.

"So then, why are you carrying it around with you?" Danny inquired.

_I want to know why. I need to know if the bars I'm thinking of and the bar I was holding are one and the same. _

"I don't have very many reminders of my family. Besides my parents' business, that bar is all I have." Sam zipped her bag completely shut. "If I ever needed money, I figured I could cash it in."

By that time, Danny was so full of questions, he decided to risk the full force of Sam's wrath. "Business?"

Sam's eyes narrowed slightly. _He's a CIA agent, of course he's going to ask a lot of questions. _"My father was the head of a stock exchange company and my mom was the daughter of the president of National City Bank Headquarters. When they got married, the two companies merged."

"But that still doesn't explain how they got the bars."

Sam rolled her eyes and sighed. _Oh my God...Does he ever shut up? _"When the stock market went down 684 points one week, my father decided to withdrawal our stocks and invest in gold." Sam ran fingers through her hair. "And so, secret agent man, I shall end this interrogation by saying I'm not an international criminal." _Yet, _Sam added silently.

Danny was beginning to feel guilty. "But…what about the design?"

"What about it? It's the design of my old home."

"…Oh." Danny rubbed the back of his neck. "Look, Sam. I'm sorry…I guess I jumped to conclusions…"

Sam walked back into the cockpit without even looking at Danny.

"Damn…" Danny whispered.

_Well, I think I just royally screwed up any respect she held for me. _

Danny laid down on the couch. _This is going to be a very **long** eight hours. _

He fell into a restless sleep.

* * *

**FOUR HOURS LATER

* * *

**

Danny's eyes shot upon when the couch seemed to roll right out from under him. A pain in his left side indicated he had a surprise meeting with the floor.

He looked up to see Sam fighting against turbulence. Quickly, she got back control.

Danny sighed as the plane leveled out in no time at all.

He looked out the window, and off in the distance he could see land. Or, rather, Europe.

Excitement coursed through his veins. They were almost to St. Petersburg!

…_Okay_, so they still had four hours…

It was a start.

Danny looked at Sam, sighed, and then reclaimed his spot of the couch.

* * *

**FOUR MORE HOURS LATER**

**(12:20 A.M. St. Petersburg Time)

* * *

**

"Freedom!" Danny exclaimed as he saw the airport up ahead. Even Sam, who was still miffed, showed her excitement at the prospect of getting off the plane.

"About time," she muttered. A trace of a smile lit up her face.

Landing wouldn't be a problem at all for her. In fact, she was only too happy to do it…

She slowed the plane down and pushed another button. A "Click" confirmed the landing gear was in place.

The plane began descending. "Cessna 963 preparing to land. Over," Sam said into the radio transmitter.

"You may proceed. Over," came the reply from an air-traffic controller.

Sam felt Danny's presence when he entered the cockpit.

"Anything I can do?" he asked shyly, rubbing the back of his neck.

Same became annoyed with herself as his boyish charms lessened her anger. She sighed and shook her head. "No, not at the moment." She gently pulled back on the yoke, letting the plane go under a controlled stall.

"Uh, okay then. I guess I'll just leave you alone," Danny said and turned to walk back to the couch. Or maybe the refrigerator. He wasn't entirely sure.

"Danny, wait." The said agent turned around to focus on Sam. She sighed, and her proud shoulders drooped slightly. "Look," Sam said, "I'm sorry. I was overreacting and, really, I can't fault you for asking those questions. I mean, you _are_ an agent for a reason." Sam slowed down the main engine. "We're going to land in five minutes or so."

Danny smiled, flashing his white teeth. "Finally! I can't wait to get off this plane."

"Join the club."

"And Sam?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

"No problem."

Sam moved the yoke forward, lining the plane up with the runway. Yep, it wouldn't be long now…

Vaguely aware that Danny was no longer in the cockpit, Sam powered down the engine. Using her fingertips, she eased back on the yoke.

At 100 feet above land, Sam killed the engine and tapped the brakes.

The agent breathed a sigh of relief when the plane jerked, making contact with Runway 4. Hitting the brakes a little harder, Sam managed to stop the air plane.

And as she let go of the yoke, Sam was overcome with temptation. She picked up the microphone to the intercom and said in a mock-professional voice," Welcome to Pulkovo National Airport."

* * *

**Sapphire Cove Hotel**

**(2:45 A.M) St. Petersburg Time

* * *

**

"Well, we made it," Danny voiced breathlessly. He opened the door to room 305 and strode in. Sam peeked around the corner, surveying the décor.

"Not bad," Sam stated, dragging in her luggage. "I'm impressed." She pointed towards the bed closest to the balcony. "I call that bed!" She threw her bags to the side and moved to lay down on the soft mattress.

Danny set his duffel bag on the other bed and sat down. "I still haven't gotten a call from the hospital about the pilot's death. I bet a million bucks he died from Hydrogen Sulfidate."

"You know, you're probably right," Sam agreed, plopping down on the squishy mattress.

She then proceeded to crack a smile. "But _man_, what happened on the plane seemed to come right out of a James Bond movie. I mean, you gotta admit; it was kinda cliché."

"Uh, Sam? We're CIA agents. _Everything_ we do is cliché."

"True." Sam sighed for probably the millionth time that night. "I'm thinking of going to sleep. It sounds good right now…" She kicked off her tennis shoes and curled up into a lop-sided ball on the bed.

"Whatever. I'm going to take a look around," Danny said. _Of course, _he thought, _I can see why Sam's tired. I wasn't the one who had to fly a plane. Then again, I don't know **how** to fly plane_… A reminiscence of yester-year clouded his memory.

Clouds. Free falling. Spinning, spiraling twists...

Flying without wings.

But then the memory's sensation was as gone as quickly as it came, and Danny sighed. He wanted the good ole' days back. But he knew they would never come.

He set the second key on Sam's bedside table and walked out the door.

As Danny strode down the hall, he couldn't help but think about the mission…and perhaps even Sam…

_Ever since my ghost powers faded away, I've been having harder times on missions. I can't sneak up on the enemy as well, or attack as effiently…I'm just scared something might happen to Sam and then I won't be able to do anything._

_Of course, If I told Sam any of this, she would call the mental institution and lock me up. The only people who ever really knew were my old partner, Drake, and…my sister. _

Danny made himself a cup of coffee once he made it to the lobby. Looking out through a window, he pondered about the mission.

Meanwhile, Sam was trying to fall asleep. Really, she was. Only…something was on her mind. A memory that never let her rest…

* * *

**FLASHBACK!

* * *

**

_"Hey Sam! Come here!" _

_Seventeen year old Sam looked up at her friend and made her way across the boat. _

_They had been sailing and sun tanning off the coast of Amity Park, South Carolina in a rented, medium sized clipper. _

_She checked her watch. It read 4:00 P.M. They had been out in the ocean for almost six hours now. _

_When Sam was standing next to the railing, Kaya, her friend, said, "Check this out." She pointed up to the sky. _

_Sam winced when she saw the black clouds rolling in. Apparently, their day out on the sea would be cut short. "It doesn't look good out there, does it?" Sam commented, biting her bottom lip. _

_"Nope. Think we should head back?" Kaya questioned. _

_"That's probably a good idea. I'm going to go see what the radio is saying about the weather." Sam and Kaya mock-saluted each other before going their separate ways. _

_Sam located the radio at the stern of the boat and switched the station. _

_"-Appears to be a storm cell moving inland from the Atlantic Ocean. The storm cell was clocked at moving thirty miles an hour with winds up to seventy miles. People on the coasts of the Carolinas', seek indoor protection immediately. We're getting information that states this storm could actually form into a minor hurricane," the meteorologists said. _

_Sam turned the radio off. They needed to get back home. Now. She looked back up at the sky. To her left, there was a bright, blue sky. But the more she looked away from the land, the more clouds there were_…

_A few raindrops hit Sam's shoulders. "Kaya, turn the boat around!" Sam called. The storm was going to begin soon…_

**_Why didn't I see this coming sooner?_**

_Already, the sun was being engulfed by the clouds. How could they've missed the warnings from before?_

_Easy; They were unobservant teens isolated in their clipper on the ocean. _

_Okay, maybe not observant, perhaps distracted. But now, they were distracted no more. They couldn't afford it. _

_Sam heard the sound of a motorboat and look up, slightly confused as to why anyone else would be out. About 120 yards away, a white speedboat flew on top of the water, coming towards them. Her eyes widened. What were they doing?_

_Her question was answered when an explosion sounded and a bullet barely missed her shoulder. Sam instinctively dropped down behind one of the sail's masts. _

_Kaya looked over at Sam from her position at the steering wheel. "What was-?"_

_"Get down!" Sam yelled frantically. Instantly, Kaya dropped down, her hands still on the steering wheel. _

_**What's going on?** Sam thought. The speedboat moved in closer as the two men aboard shot their guns. She gasped. One bullet grazed her cheek. A small line appeared, blood red. _

_Sam tried to get a good look at the attackers. One of them looked familiar…_

_Recognition hit her. Sam remembered seeing him storming out of her father's office when he was fired. That had been almost four years ago…_

_**But why is this happening? **One of the men stepped onto the clipper, his gun ready to shoot. _

_These people were looking for something, Sam concluded. She cursed silently. If she hid, they would find her and Kaya in one way or another. And if she attacked, there would be no guarantee of not getting shot. Sam closed her hand around the left side of her face. **A perfect example.**_

_Sam decided her best bet would be to attack and try to get the gun. She gulped when he neared Kaya's hiding spot_

_The man turned his back. Sam took this as her chance and ran towards him._

_As the man turned around, Sam kicked his hand, letting the gun fall as she effectively broke his wrist. _

_He grimaced for a second, giving Sam a chance to pick up the gun. But before she could, a hand connected with her arm. She could have sworn her muscles screamed. _

_Desperate to get to the gun, Sam slammed her free arm down on his collarbone. He gasped in pain and let her go. And in one swift motion, she picked up the gun and pointed it at the guy's head. _

_"Move and I shoot!" Sam said, acting much more confident than she felt. Could she really kill someone? _

_Luckily, he heeded her warning and held his hands up. Sam risked a glance over at Kaya, who was ready to use a fire extinguisher as a weapon if needed. _

_Suddenly, Kaya's eyes widened as she shouted, "Look out!" Sam realized only too late what was happening. Someone from behind pulled her arm down, forcing the gun out of her hands. She stumbled, trying to regain balance. _

_And that was when Kaya ran out from her hiding place, brandishing the extinguisher like a weapon._

_"Kaya, no!" Sam screamed. But it was too late. The person who had pushed her from behind pulled the trigger and shot Sam's friend. _

_Kaya stopped in her tracks, letting the extinguisher fall from her hands as she collapsed on the boat's floor. Sam could only stare…_

_The man she had first attacked locked her arms behind her back while the other pointed the gun at her head. _

_"Samantha Manson," he said cruelly, his stone eyes showing hate. "When I was granted control of your parent's business, I was more than disappointed to find you still alive. That car crash should have killed you all."_

_Sam's mind reeled for a second. "But-but, they fired you! How did you gain control of the company?" A sudden thought hit her. "Why did you murder my parents?"_

_Sam heard the gun click and decided to shut up "I have contacts, dear Samantha. They left quite a empire due to their shady dealings too," the man said, something glinting in his eyes. The wind was beginning to pick up, signaling the storm. "And to end this interrogation, I must say, you parents made my life a living Hell. I'm merely repaying the... **kindness."** Rain slowly began to pour as the wind picked up, rocking the boat. _

_Sam got a good look at him. He seemed to be perhaps in his late twenties, early thirties with muddy brown hair. And by the looks of it, he was in fit condition. _

_"However," he continued, "I look at you beautiful face and see so much potential that I can't possibly kill you," he said, using his free hand to touch Sam's face. She pulled back in revulsion. _

_He laughed. "Instead, you will help me. There is something I wish to obtain from the CIA…and perhaps someone I need to get rid of. I would normally do it, but let's just say I'm already on the scene." _

_"And in return for your services, I could give you a portion of your parents' fortune. A golden bar? Two perhaps?"_

_That was the last she remembered as something hit her on the head. _

_The world faded to black for a time_…

_When Sam woke up, she was being helped into an ambulance from the beach. Confused and angry, she clenched her hands only to find a piece of paper in her right hand. _

_On the paper was the number: 853-6263. She memorized as someone handed her a blanket._

_It was **his **office number. _

_Over a cell phone, one of the paramedics were saying, "We've found another victim on the beach from the storm…"

* * *

_

Sam shook herself out of her memories. It wasn't something she really wanted to think about.

Just then, the door opened to reveal Danny walking in. He took notice of her position and asked, "Couldn't sleep?"

Sam stared into his concerned eyes and replied, "No. In fact," She said, getting up, "I think I'm going to go get some tea or something." Sam grabbed her purse and put her tennis shoes on.

"Oh. Okay," Danny responded sleepily, plopping down on his bed. Sam rolled her eyes in amusement when he began to snore in five seconds flat.

She sighed when she shut the door behind her though. And instead of going to the lobby, she head straight for the stair well. Once there, she made sure no one was around.

Satisfied, she dug into her purse and flipped open her phone.

She dialed 853-6263, a number that was impossible to track.

After two rings, someone picked up. It was **him. **"Yes?" Sam tried to control her nerves as she attempted to back down from orders.

"I can't kill Danny," she stated firmly. "I _won't _kill Danny."

* * *

**Whoa….an eleven paged chapter. That HAS to be my longest chapter ever. **

**Anyway, I decided my story was getting boring so I threw in a twist. You like? **

**Since I just now typed all of this, I'm too lazy to do review replies. Please forgive me! **

**Lightning Streak**


	9. Conspiracy

_Disclaimer: …disclaimed…_

_I've really got to work on updating faster, don't I? (insert pathetic sigh.)_

_Oh, by the way, I went back through the chapters and added details, took out a few scenes, and hopefully made this story a little better. I think the most dramatically changed scene is in chapter 3 where Sam is shot. However, it's not entirely important to the main story, so you can get away with not reading it if you don't want to._

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**__**

SHORT SUMMARY OF WHAT'S HAPPENED SO FAR

(For people who totally forgot what this story is about since I last updated!) :

Danny's old partner has been murdered, so Sam is recruited. Sparks fly at first, but Sam and Danny find it hard to stand each other. Invariably, the idea that they would work as a "couple" in the mission to take down Russia's serial killer backfires.

Anyway, as they prepare for the mission, Sam gets shot and the CIA's hacker, Tucker, is out of commission due to an attempted murder. Danny goes to the hospital Tucker is residing at and pulls up his profile with a stolen laptop to figure out a few missing details. After checking out some of Sam's profile (something he couldn't resist seeing), he is found and accused of being a criminal. Needless to say, the situation of him _being_ a criminal is resolved, but Sam's profile has left Danny wondering. Is she being blackmailed?

As soon as Sam's bullet wound is healed they begin heading for Pulkovo National Airport, Russia. There, they claim their hotel rooms at The Sapphire Cove Hotel in St. Petersburg.

And it's then Sam's conscience nags at her for conspiring with the villain himself.

__

She dialed 853-6263, a number that was impossible to track.

After two rings, someone picked up. It was **him. **"Yes?" Sam tried to control her nerves.

"I can't kill Danny," she stated firmly. "I **won't** kill Danny."

* * *

**Living On the Edge**

Chapter 9: Conspiracy

* * *

On the other end of the phone connection, a man crossed his arms and chuckled. "We've made a deal, Manson," he responded. "You kill my rival, and I give you your freedom."

Sam's expression hardened. "I've been doing your 'odd jobs' for almost four years now. And almost every time, you've promised me freedom. How can I trust you to keep your side of the deal?"

"My beautiful Samantha, we've been through this before," he sighed, tapping his fingers against his knee. " I hold power over one of the most prestigious stock exchange companies in the entire US. By pulling a few strings, I could easily throw you to the dogs, so to speak.

"And now that I've gained the Hydroygen Sulifdate, I can bypass every single security system known to man," he explained smugly, the possibilities running through his mind. "Not to mention, the chemical, when entered into the blood stream, is fatal."

He smirked as he fingered a small, silver case. "If you were to not complete your mission, that would mean I'd have to handle it personally." The man paused for dramatic effects. "And Daniel wouldn't be my only victim."

"I could make your life a living Hell, Samantha."

Sam knew her own life was on the line too.

But no matter what Sam did, she knew she would end up losing. Her choices were either door number one: to kill off Danny and be given the illusion of freedom, or door number two: to die herself, along with Danny.

She just really hoped she could find door number three before it was too late.

Sam sighed. "I tried not to get attached…"

_I really did try…At first…_

"Perhaps you should try harder. Have you figured out a plan?"

"No," she replied with reluctance.

"Then maybe I can assist you with some of my suggestions."

And as he let her in on his plans, Sam silently tried to hold back her tears.

_I…can't let this happen.

* * *

_

**7:30 A.M.**

**

* * *

**Sam stared up at the white ceiling above her bed. Confusion, sadness, anger, and a billion other emotions attacked her mind. It made her feel numb, really.

Her life had become one big conspiracy.

_Why do I even like Danny anyway? _

_**Why** did I let myself even get attached?_

She heard the alarm clock begin to blare out alternative music and reached over to hit the "snooze" button. But along the way, her hand brushed against Danny's, causing her to blush. Apparently they both loved to shut up alarms.

_Well, I guess that's part of why I like him. Sheer physical attraction. _Her lips formed an ironic ghost of a smile.

Danny sat up, fully awake. A blush appeared on his face as he nervously twisted the hem of his shirt, his cheeks a pink tinge.

"Uh…good morning?" he asked uncertainly, avoiding her gaze to hide behind his mop of hair.

_That's another reason, _Sam thought, adding it to her list. _Boyish charm, perhaps? _

_Even if he still **is** a know-it-all sometimes…_

_That, and he tells **really** bad puns…_

But her thoughts quickly took a turn towards the depressing. "What's on the agenda for today?" She tried to hide her feelings, hoping she looked at least half way happy.

_I can't…I can't let him know. _

"Well, I'm thinkin' we should probably unpack our stuff and see what they gave us for weapons," Danny replied casually. Sam nodded slowly as he hopped off his bed and brought up a black suitcase.

Sam got up from her own bed and looked over his shoulder, rolling up the sleeves of her oversized the suitcase was a various assortment of guns, pocket knives (which were probably more than they seemed), switchblades, and a couple of weapons she wasn't familiar with.

She pointed towards one and asked with genuine curiosity, "What's that for?"

The weapon itself was a fingerless glove with long, small wires running from the wristband. The wires had almost a spider-like look to them, the ends of them bound to small needles.

In other words…it looked like a torture device on steroids.

Danny bit his lip and hesitated before saying, "It's a weapon that uses…a _different _type of energy to shoot the enemy."

Sam raised an eyebrow as she curiously lifted the glove from its spot, trying it on.

Almost instantly, the glove fitted to the size of her hand, a large, glowing ring forming on the inside of the glove's palm.

"Uh…D-Danny?" A small sense of panic (the type where your feeling your way in the dark) arose within Sam as the long wires seemed to come alive, the needles slinking their way up her arm to finally stick themselves just at the back of her neck.

And, surprisingly, it didn't hurt. At all. She just stood there, shocked and rather baffled at her situation.

Sam's partner leaned against the wall, a ghost of a smile apparent on his features.

"The energy that emits from the glove is called an Ectoplasmic Blast. Those needles, they react with signals from your brain so that you don't have to pull a trigger-you just pretty much think about hitting the enemy and your weapon does the rest for you," he explained casually, crossing his arms.

Sam, still amazed and curious that she couldn't feel the needles, examined the palm of her hand, analyzing how the glove glowed.

"This is…_amazing_ technology," she finally sputtered out. "How did you guys manage to make something like this?"

Danny averted his eyes to the floor, trying to decide how to explain it. "Well, a while ago, before I was even an agent, I happened to…come across this type of energy and managed to harness to the point where I could use it. Unfortunately, the energy reserves faded away," he responded truthfully. "Only a few weapons were recreated- I mean, _made_ with Ectoplasmic energy, and this is one of them."

Sam had a distinct feeling that Danny wasn't telling her everything, but she shook it off, thinking of it as nothing important…

Unless, he suspected her already…

She cleared her throat. "So, uh…you just _think_ and it shoots?"

"Pretty much, yeah." Danny quickly saw where the conversation was going. "Hey, if you're gonna try to use that, you might want to do it outside or…anywhere other than here…" He laughed weakly. "Wouldn't want to pay another bill to fix the carpet…"

Sam saw what he was hinting at, and nodded, a bit disappointed. "Very true."

Almost reluctantly, she pulled the glove off her hand, the quarter inch needles that were attached to the back of her neck painlessly dislodging themselves.

"What else do we have?" She asked, more curiously than ever.

Danny picked up from the suitcase what looked to be a small cell phone without any of the normal buttons. "Whenever you're in strange territory, this is pretty much you're best friend." He pressed a few of the buttons that outlined the screen, and a virtual map of the room appeared. "You can get a virtual blue print of anywhere in the building you're in, and let me tell you, this isn't something you want to lose."

Sam took the gadget from his hands, attempting to learn how to work it. "Sounds like we'll be using it a lot."

"Most likely. Since we don't know the exact location of the serial killer, we can't get the actual blue prints of their headquarters."

"That's a _very_ comforting thought."

"Well, life's not a James Bond movie, Sam. Things don't always fall into place," Danny retorted.

The agent rolled her eyes. "I realized that a long time ago." She zipped open the second level of the suitcase, revealing more new gadgets.

She held up one, her eyebrows furrowing. "…And this is?"

"A pinch bomb," Danny replied causally. "It's a device that creates something kinda like cardiac arrest for anything electrical." A smirky, almost mischievous smile twitched his lips. "Don't use it without thinking first."

Sam inspected the disc size bomb. "How does it work?"

The male agent, not realizing that Sam was still trying to carry a conversation, flipped through a room service brochure, his mouth watering as he read the words BREAKFAST BUFFET. He looked back up at Sam, just then realizing that she had said something. And it looked like she had been waiting awhile for an answer.

Typical. For him, anyway…

At least he had the grace to look confused, though. "…What were we talking about? Oh! Right; A pinch bomb creates a special type of electromagnetic pulse that shuts down any circuitry within its blast radius. Really handy if you want to knock out security cameras without attracting attention to yourself."

Sam rolled her eyes at Danny's nonexistent attention span, and attempted to regain perhaps a small portion of her partner's attention. "I take it that you're hungry?"

Danny had the decency to look guilty as he tore his eyes away from the room service brochure to face Sam. "I can't help it; I'm a growing boy."

The former FBI agent raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really?"

"Yes," Danny stared at her with wide, innocent eyes. "I _need_ my carbohydrates from food to even function." He flipped through the menu and his mouth watered as he read about the delicious, home style pancakes cooked to a mouth savoring gold brown, only for-

"Well, it _is_ 9:00," Sam said, interrupting Danny's daydream. "Just give me a few minutes to get a shower and then we can go downstairs to see what the hotel has." Without even waiting for an okay, Sam opened her suitcase and dug through the her clothes, picking dark colored jeans and a purple shirt.

"Don't take forever!" she heard Danny warn her as she shut the bathroom door.

"Relax; I won't take _that _long," she yelled back in exasperation.

_Although, _she thought evilly, _maybe I **should**; just to tick him off.

* * *

_

Five minutes passed. Then ten. Danny impatiently tapped his fingers against his knee, sitting on the edge of his bed.

"Oh, come _on_, Sam!" he grumbled, his stomach growling.

By the time 15 minutes passed, Danny had lost all patience. Of course, he didn't really patience to begin with. He _was _a guy, after all.

He strode up to the bathroom with a determined air and banged on the wooden door. "Geez, Sam! You've been in there for fifteen minutes! Aren't you ready yet?"

"No," came her curt reply from the other side of the door.

"But my stomach is digesting itself!" Danny whined, leaning up against the door. "I'm hungry!"

"Ooh, that's too bad."

"…Can't you hurry up?"

"Nope," Sam's muffled voice replied happily.

Danny groaned and banged the back of his head into the door. "I'm _dying_…"

Suddenly, the door gave way from behind him, and he tripped backwards into the bathroom, unable to regain his balance. Danny felt his feet fly up from under him and he landed rather painfully on the floor.

"What are you doing down there?" Sam asked, her hand on the doorknob. "And what are you waiting for? Let's go!"

She stepped over him and began walking towards the lobby, leaving poor Danny to wonder what just happened.

* * *

Minutes later, the two agents found themselves surrounded by innocent citizens, eating hotel-funded food.

"Hmm," Danny hummed happily as he stuffed his face with breakfast foods. "These pancakes are delicious!"

Sam stared at him with disgusted fascination. "_How_ can you _eat_ that?" she questioned, crinkling her nose.

"Easy," Danny replied, swirling another bite in syrup. "I just lift my fork, pop it into my mouth," he proceeded to do so in mid-sentence, "And swallow, like that!"

Sam rolled her eyes and took a bite out of her sugar powdered doughnut. " You are _way _too easily amused, you know that right?"

"Sadly, it's true," he sighed pathetically.

His partner cracked a small smile. "It'll be interesting to see you out in field action after this. I almost don't know what to expect, really…"

Danny looked up at her with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "I guess you'll just have to wait and see then, huh?"

"I guess so," Sam replied happily, yet her insides churned at the thought.

_God…can I really kill him? _

"Soo," Danny drawled out as he set his fork down, not quite sure how to break it to his partner that it was time they started putting their lives on the line.

Luckily, or _unluckily_ depending on how you look at it, Sam caught on. "Time to get down to business?"

"Time to get down to business."

* * *

Sam stared at the laptop in the sanctuary of their hotel room, soaking in all the graphics on the computer. "Impressive," she declared, appraising the work with a critical eye. "When did you have time to do this?"

"I didn't," Danny replied simply, assembling a rapid fire machine gun. "That's Tucker's laptop; I snagged it before we left Headquarters."

Sam raised an eyebrow. "What _is _it with you and stealing laptops?"

Danny defensively glared at her. "Hey, I didn't steal it! It was just lying there, and I knew Tucker had been working on something for this mission…"

She looked back at the screen. "This doesn't explain why the killer tried to take Tucker off the map, though…"

On the screen was a full, graphic layout of St. Petersburg, unraveling every major structure's security systems and escape routes. It even gave a list of the events going on in said complexes and also who was behind them. Tucker's personal notes were scattered everywhere on the screen, pointing out the places where the murders were conducted.

"Originally, I had meant to ask him where he got the info, but I never got the chance," Danny said with a sigh, setting the weapon down on the bedside table. "That type of stuff definitely wasn't picked up from a travel guide…"

Sam just shrugged, scrolling down. "He probably just contacted and got a squad of Russian agents to set up biometric eye scans in the walls of these places…_Geez_, you know, I never realized how many diplomats came to St. Petersburg." She pointed to a long list of names beside the buildings. "And a lot of these people are really-"

"Hold on," Danny said sharply, his calculating voice interrupting Sam's. "Scroll up a little bit, I saw something."

Sam looked up at him with a slightly confused expression, but did as she was told. "What'd ya see that's so important?"

"There was HTML on the side of the screen," he replied, distracted. "It could have been a hyperlink."

The former FBI agent scanned the page with a critical eye, searching for the HTML.

And, finally, she spotted it. "Found it!" she exclaimed smugly, pointing to the size nine font on the corner of the screen, just barely visible from behind the map's coordinate lines.

_I wonder why it was hidden out of sight…_

"Good. Now see if it leads to something else," Danny asked of her, his heart beating a little faster at the find. Sam clicked on the jargon of letters and numbers, and found it to be exactly what Danny said; a hyperlink.

_Searching for file… _

"It's working," Sam whispered, her eyes glued to the screen.

_Downloading file… _

"I wonder what the file is," Danny whispered back to her.

_…Downloading file…_

__

…Downloading file…

**FILE CORRUPT / UNABLE TO READ FILE. **

Action aborted.

…

Sam sighed. "A dead end, that's what it is…" She ran a hand through her black hair, her shoulders drooping in disappointment. "Darn, I really thought we were on to something, too…"

Danny narrowed his eyes at the laptop, his calculating gaze never wavering. "…I think we _still_ _are_ onto something." He leaped over the bed and began rummaging through the weapon's suitcase. With an "Aha!", he pulled a disc out of the side pockets and returned back to the desk where Sam was sitting.

Inserting the disc into the tray, he explained, "Tucker must have encrypted the file, and now all we've gotta do is override the security system."

_Searching for file… _

_Downloading file…_

_Downloading file…_

_Download complete._

Another screen popped up, and Danny smiled triumphantly, pumping a fist in the air. "That CD has never let me down!"

"Let me guess," Sam said dryly, "Tucker made that too?"

"Yeah, and I forgot to thank him for it, too…"

Danny finally got the inspiration to pull up a seat next to Sam, and then proceeded to peer at the screen. "_So_…Looks like we found something the bad guys didn't want us to know about…"

"Tucker's personal notes," Sam finished for him. "It had to have been the last thing he worked on, look at the date! It was the morning that he was shot…"

The other agent read over the information eagerly. " And I have a feeling that _this_ is why he's hospitalized right now… He must have tapped into something he wasn't supposed to…"

**6:45 A.M. : Intercepted and traced a phone call between possible suspect and a Mr. Damon Gray, President of St. Petersburg Security and Defense System; **

**LINK TO RECORDED CONV: 8949733427**

"…Do we dare listen to it?" Sam asked, although her hand was already moving the mouse towards the link. She couldn't help it; she was curious.

Danny nodded his head. "I say let's go for it."

_Click. _

A silver and black media player opened on the monitor, and immediately began playing the conversation:

_"-Nine…two…seven…f-four." _A rather nervous sounding voice poured from the laptop's speakers, giving the agents a hint as to what was going on.

_"That **is** the correct code to the vault, I trust?" _a distorted voice questioned.

_"…Yes…" _

_"Then why do I feel as though you're not telling me everything I need to know?"_

The first man's deep voice suddenly became flustered_. "I-I promise you! I'm n-not leaving a-anything out! Please don't…don't hurt my daughter!" _

_"Your daughter saw too much, Damon. But…give me the rest of the code I know you're holding back from me, and maybe I'll reconsider barging into your house tonight and killing her…possibly you too."_

_"P-please! Please d-don't hurt her! I-I'll give you the rest, the rest of the code…Just please don't hurt Valerie! The c-code is nine, two, seven, four, one, three…And I swear to you, that's all there is!"_

_"…Pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Gray."_

_"W-wait! Don't hang up yet!"_

_The sound of a dial tone was heard as the media player stopped, leaving the agents to contemplate the conversation's meaning._

"…_Well. _That's harsh," Danny said, his voice straining a bit. "Pretty heavy blackmail in such a short time, don't you think?"

Sam nodded her head. "Yep." _And I know the feeling too… _

_Even though his voice was disguised, I know it was him…_ She shivered.

Danny leaned back in his chair, running through the given information. "So…what was it about that message that spooked the killer to try and hurt Tuck? I mean, it's not like it gave his _hideout_ away…"

He looked out the hotel room's window, staring at all rooftops and landscape the view provided. "We couldn't even run the conversation through a Voice Synthesizer, the killer's voice was so distorted. I mean, I guess we could try, but…"

"But chances are that the VS wouldn't be able to just digitally decode the voice patterns the way they are. We'd need another sample," Sam admitted in defeat. "And even then, we couldn't be sure if it could find a perfect Voice match…"

The male agent tapped his fingers against his knee in slight frustration as he blew a strand of black hair out of his eyes. "There's gotta be something we're just not getting…"

Moments passed in silence as Sam replayed the recorded conversation.

_"Your daughter saw too much, Damon."_

And then, it clicked.

Danny's eyes widened in understanding, and he jumped up from his seat, nearly scaring Sam half to death.

"I get it!" he said gleefully, a feeling of self accomplishment overcoming him. He turned to a more or less freaked out Sam, and proceeded to explain his idea.

"The reason that the killer never wanted anyone to find out about this is because he slipped up! He didn't give away anything like a hideout," Danny said, his voice shaking with excitement, "but he _did _give away something else…"

Sam practically saw the wheels turning in his head as he moved the laptop to face him at a better angle. Danny eagerly began typing away, never once wavering his gaze.

And Sam, good old Sam, just waited patiently for an explanation.

"In the conversation, the killer slipped up by saying that Mr. Gray's daughter knew too much." Danny turned to face Sam. "What do you think killers do to people who know too much?"

His partner looked up at him with widened eyes. "You think that she's going to be the next victim?"

"Exactly my point." Danny scanned through the map, looking for a specific building. "What did they say her name was again? Valerie?"

"Yep," Sam responded, following Danny's movements. "Uh, the St. Petersburg defense and something else building is right over there," she pointed out, guessing at what her partner was trying to find. And she was right.

He nodded in thanks, and zoomed in on the virtual blueprint of the structure, looking for all the information he could find about it.

"My only question now is where and when the killer will make his move…" Sam said in deep thought.

Danny shrugged. "I guess we'll find out soon enough."

To the side of the fifteen-story building was a list of major events that (thankfully) Tucker had managed to compile. (True, he had done that with _every_ building, but it made Sam and Danny appreciate the act even more…)

Sam ran down the list. "Let's see; a staff meeting was yesterday, there's gonna be another one the day after tomorrow…" Danny scrolled down for her. "…a conference between the organization's President and some visiting diplomats on the 24th of July….a Gala to celebrate Mr. Gray's tenth year as Security and Defense System's President, and-"

She cut herself off in mid sentence as her eyes instantly met Danny's.

"The Gala," they both declared.

Danny smirked as he stood up. "This is probably going to be the killer's best shot at murdering Mr. Gray's daughter, since everyone else would be too preoccupied to notice a gun shot until it was too late. Not to mention the insane publicity this'll score with the press." The agent stretched a bit and yawned. "Well, it looks like this will be our chance to meet up with the killer and stop a murder or two."

"We're both gonna have to be on the lookout for Valerie Gray," Sam said with a calculating tone. "And I know that just by itself, protecting her could prove to be a hard job. But this could also be our chance to tag the murderer, if we can get within shooting range of him. That way, we would have the opportunity to track his movements from there on out."

"Way ahead of you," Danny remarked, digging through his luggage and holding up a small microchip.

And so, even though he didn't know it himself, Tucker had given them their first valuable clue.

"Uh, Danny? If we're giong to this Gala thing, I'm gonna need a dress."

"And it looks like I'm gonna need a tux…"

* * *

**Yay! (jumps around in bliss.) I finally updated! Once again, I'm sorry; I fell off the face of the earth there for awhile. But I guess I'm having trouble cranking out ten and twelve paged chapters for every update. **

_So, would it be okay if I went back to six or seven paged chapters? That way, I could update faster…_

_Thank you all for the thirty-odd reviews I got on last chapter! It amazed me that even after months of not updating, people were still interested in this story. I guess you could say that was what kept me going. I even tried to make this chapter sound more…intelligent!_

_So, how did you like it?_

_Were the characters actually in character?_

_Did the details flow, or were they choppy?_

_Did you like how I tried to reincorperate Danny's powers?_

_Was this chapter too predictable?_

_(I know I'm asking a lot of questions, but I really would like some constructive critisism on this story.)_

_Please review and tell me what you think! Reviews are what keep me motivated!_

_Lightning Streak_


	10. The Gala

_Disclaimer: Thy self hath no ownership-eth over Danny Phantom…eth…_

_Hmm…It took me what? Over six months to get this one out? (cries at my pathetic-ness.) Well, at least its better than a year….(insert cringe here.)_

_**Anyway, I hope you enjoy this! If you don't remember what happened at the ending of the last chapter**: Danny and Sam found out a clue on Tucker's laptop that leads them to the location of the serial killer's next victim: Valerie Gray. From there, they conclude that the serial killer would most likely choose the Gala Mr. Gray (Valerie's father) was sponsoring in order to murder her and publicly humiliate her father._

_But of course, where there's a Gala, there's a dress and a tuxedo…._

* * *

**Living On the Edge**

**Chapter 10: The Gala

* * *

**

"Sam, could you hurry up?" Danny yelled to the girl on the other side of the bathroom door. He pushed back the sleeve of his tuxedo to check the time on his watch. "Come on, we're gonna be late!"

"I'm _hurrying_," came her exasperated, muffled voice. Vaguely, Danny could have sworn he heard her growl.

He rolled his eyes, and with a sigh, said, "Well…can't you hurry a _little_ faster?"

…Yes, his theory was correct; Sam was definitely growling.

"You have no patience, you know that?" she shot back at him, desperately trying to tie the corset-like strings on the back of her dress. "Do you know how hard it is to get into this _thing _people have the ignorance to call a _dress_?!"

"No, and I really don't want to know." He glanced down at his watch again. "And at the rate you're going, we're going to miss the entire party. We're already going to be a few minutes late as it is…"

Sam let out a small frustrated scream, and Danny flinched as the door slammed open, revealing a very agitated agent.

She grabbed a deep purple purse from the counter and glared daggers at her fellow agent. Very shiny,_ pointy_, daggers. "Are you happy _now_?" she snapped. But then she noticed how Danny was, unnervingly, staring at her. "What?"

Her voice snapped him back to reality, and he blushed, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck. "N-nothing!" he stuttered in reply. "I-it's just…you…you look good!"

And really, she did. Sam had decided to wear an ankle length black dress with a slit to her knee. The spaghetti-strapped dress was outlined in purple silk, and fit Sam's form perfectly. Even her normal hairstyle was gone, and in its place was shoulder length hair, flipped out at the ends.

_A-am…am I blushing? _Danny vaguely questioned himself, embarrassed that he had lost his composure.

_But… B-but I'm too old to have hormones! _The twenty-one year old complained ruefully.

Sam's facial features softened at his compliment to her, and she tried to evade the awkward moment she knew was coming. "Uh, thanks…"

Danny looked away to hid his blush, and instead focused on the glass lamp that stood just a few feet away from him. "Well, it better look good, considering you dragged me through every mall in St. Petersburg for something that 'suited your unique style.'"

At that comment, the female agent huffed indignantly. "It's not _my_ fault the fashion industry has no soul…" She looked back at Danny to see him hiding a smile from beneath his bangs.

...Insert awkward silence.

A tense moment passed between the two before Sam coughed lightly and managed to paint a nervous smile on her features. "Uh, I think this is our cue to start heading towards the party." She gently grabbed his reluctant hand, dragging him with her through the door.

And with a small smile, Danny allowed her to lead the way as they picked up their pace.

Knowing that they were short on time, the agents practically flew down the earth-toned hallway, leaving behind a trail of perplexed onlookers. They turned to their right, which was a hall of elevators, and narrowly avoided a red oak table.

"You know, I'd appreciate it if you didn't run me into inanimate objects," Danny commented dryly. Then his eyebrows furrowed and he bit his bottom lip. "Or _any_ objects, really…" he added as he twisted around to clear a path for a hotel maid.

Sam rolled her eyes. "Then don't follow me so close." She came to a stop in front of an elevator and pushed the button to call it to their level.

The male agent sighed, blowing his droopy bangs out of his eyes as he rubbed the back of his neck.

_One of these days, this girl is gonna be the death of me…_

_

* * *

_

_o.O.o_

_

* * *

_

"It's 7:07," Danny commented, pushing his sleeve back down to cover his watch. "We need to start soon."

"I know that." Sam checked the barrel of her gun, loading it with a round. You know, just to be on the safe side. "Just give me a minute."

At that time, the agents were in the basement of The Willow Ballroom, just below the party where the serial killer would strike once more.

"Do you think it was smart to pick that lock back there, Danny?"

"Oh relax, Sam. It was an _abandoned_ parking lot. I highly doubt that anyone saw us."

"But that door…"

"-Was put in a bad place," Danny finished for her. "_Anyone_ could have gotten in here through that door. And honestly, I'm surprised that no one had snuck in before from there."

Sam sighed. "I just don't feel like being caught so early in the game…"

_And you know, that could be taken in more ways that one…_

Danny glanced at his partner with a smug expression. "Are you implying that you're worried?"

"No," Sam growled at him, snapping her earpiece into place. "Now let's just get this done and over with…"

"That's the spirit!" he said jokingly, his tone ringing with slight sarcasm. But Danny quickly sobered up. "So, are we sure we got all the bases covered?"

"Yep."

"Well then," Danny said with a sigh, "if you get a lead, contact me. Other than that, I'll see you in about an hour, okay?"

Sam nodded, and followed Danny through the back door and up the flight of stairs leading to the party. Both CIA agents mock-saluted each other before going separate ways, silently wishing good luck to one another.

They slipped into the party unnoticed.

"Anything out of the ordinary yet, Danny?" Sam asked as she quietly prowled through the crowds.

"Not yet," came the smooth reply from her earpiece radio transmitter. Danny sighed overdramatically. "I'm getting bored…"

Sam's face broke into a smile at hearing that. "Only someone like you could say that during a mission…"

"Well, what can I say?" Danny replied casually. "I'm a live-on-the-edge sort of guy."

"Really? I thought you were just stupid…"

"Hey!" the male pouted indignantly. "That's not funny!"

At that, she could just imagine how Danny must have looked to anyone observing him: angry puppy dog eyes, a sulking expression, and his tuxedo-clad arms crossed in a child like manner.

Sam had to stifle her laughter though to keep from arousing suspicion. "So," she said quietly, changing the subject, "have you installed the cameras?"

"Yep," came his sighing (still slightly jaded) response. "Got one on every wall in this place, and the only footage is being fed into my cell phone. If the killer does show up, we'll be able to spot suspicious activity before it even happens. And with any luck, we'll be able to stop the murder in time…"

"Good thinking," Sam approved.

"Thanks…So, how is your end of the mission coming along?"

"Pretty bad," the female agent admitted, pulling her cell phone out of her purse and scanning through the list. "Although I was able to match up everyone's DNA by using a Biometric Eye Scanner, I found nothing interesting. Everyone who was on the list is here, and all of them are already in the Bio-system. None of them have a criminal record, or are under surveillance for suspicious activity."

Sam snapped her phone shut and placed it back in her beg. "Of course, there _is_ the possibility that we have a hacker on our hands…"

Danny soaked in all the information for a moment before sighing. "Oh well; at least it was worth a shot." A tense moment of silence passed between the two as Sam tried to figure a new way to gather information. And suddenly, Sam realized that the answer was right in front of her; literally. For, if the computers didn't know anything, then maybe the people themselves did…

"…Well, I guess I'm off to socialize and hopefully get something out of somebody," she told him with a small groan. …_My most **favorite** thing in the world…_

"Just be careful about it," he warned. "We were never actually invited to this, and someone is bound to notice that if we don't keep it under wraps. If you are going to socialize with these people, then you're gonna half to be someone they'll forget about the moment you're out of the sight." And then as a afterthought, Danny added, "So please, _please,_ don't go around, ranting a 'Save the Rainforest' speech, okay?"

Sam rolled her eyes. "I'll try to restrain myself from doing so, but I won't make any promises," she replied dryly.

And for a second, she could have sworn Danny was smiling.

"But before you start politely interrogating people," he said, "you'll probably want to know when Mr. Gray makes his speech. It's supposed to start in a few minutes. You know, as the official thank you to the sponsors."

Sam glanced at the red oak grandfather clock that hung on the crème wall. 7:43 P.M. it read. "I guess I'll just have to wait…"

With a sigh, She leaned against a large column that was painted a glossy tan.

"Have you found Valerie yet?" she asked.

"It took me a few minutes, but I finally did," Danny alto voice spoke over the static. "Apparently, she's expecting something to happen, same as us. Valerie hasn't stayed in one place for anything more than a minute…"

"Smart girl," Sam approved. _Sounds like she's got a brain unlike **some** women in the world…_ "Have you been keeping track of her?"

Danny responded with a snort. "Yeah, barely. I've actually lost her in the crowds a few times. In any case, I'm tempted to stick a tracking device on her…"

"Well, whatever you do; don't lost track of her again. You never know when the killer will-"

Suddenly, a loud baritone voice cut through Sam's thoughts.

"Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen!" a loud and cheerful voice boomed, startling the agents out of their conversation. "May I please request your attention? "

The light-hearted chatter that wafted through the air slowly died down to a murmur and then expectant silence, each person waiting for the speaker to continue.

"As you know," the man said, "I have been assisting the company as its President for quite a long time now. Ten years to be exact," he admitted proudly. "And I am happy to say that during these past years, this Defense team has been rated second in the entire country of Russia!"

A loud roar of applause sounded off the walls at that proclamation, the member of the Defense team lit with a triumphant smile. The man at the podium, Mr. Damon Gray, stood with a smile on his face at his subordinate's enthusiasm, but his eyes nervously darted across the room.

He waited for the clapping and whistles to subside before speaking once more. "I'd like to say, " Damon continued, "Thank you to all the members and supporting sponsors of the St. Petersburg Security and Defense for all the hard work put into keeping our city safe."

Damon's small welcoming speech ended with a, "Please, enjoy the party!" and the party guests clapped enthusiastically with their patriotism. "Thank you for a successful ten years!" he said, and stepped off the podium. A swarm of business associates and other acquaintances surrounded the man to congratulate him of a job well done.

Sam stayed in her place by the column. "Well," she said into her transmitter, "it looks like Mr. Gray has a lot of supporters…"

"No kidding," came the sarcastic reply.

"Still have a visual sight of Valerie?"

From the other end of the room, Danny's eyes honed in on a figure clad in a red dress. "Yep," he told Sam.

"Well, keep an eye on her," Sam said. "Right now would be a perfect time for the serial killer to strike."

"Oh, don't worry," the male agent drawled sarcastically. "I just can't seem to keep my eyes off her…"

Sam cracked a crooked smile at his trademark sarcasm, but she had to resist the temptation of rolling her eyes. "Okay then, Romeo…You just keep doing that."

"Will do," and the crackling stopped momentarily.

The female agent took that time to casually mingle around the crowds, moving quietly and quickly like a panther. _So far so good_, she thought, her mind sharp with details and suspicion. No one out of the crowd struck her as odd in their mannerisms, nor did anyone seem to have a weapon.

_Well, that's surprising_, Sam realized with slightly wider eyes, _especially considering the fact that I'm in Russia…_

Obviously, the serial killer's cronies were not on the main floor.

"Do you see any suspicious activity yet?" Sam quietly asked Danny as her violet eyes scaled the walls, soaking in the location of every vent and door. A wide ledge stuck out from the wall about halfway up, acting as a catwalk for, what Sam guessed, the plays and formal dances held there.

All in all, the building was just Death waiting to happen.

"No, nothing still," came Danny's crackling voice, breaking her from her analysis. "Why?"

"Well, I just realized how much a deathtrap this ballroom is," she told him. "Now that I think of it, they couldn't have possible picked a worse place to hold this Gala…"

Danny snorted. "I know. That catwalk is a-"

And for some reason or another, his transmission broke up and a deep crackling, ear-drum searing garble of static cut him off.

"Danny?" Sam tried to hear over the interference. "Danny?"

A few unintelligible words filled her ear, and the agent found herself in the middle of a seemingly cold draft. She shivered, cool needles dancing down her spine.

Something was wrong.

Worry began building up in the back of her mind. The transmitters were protected against losing contact with each other through distance, and it was proven that even metal compounds wouldn't mess up the transmission.

But there were ways to get around that.

_Someone must be using a Magnetic Transmission Disrupter_, she realized with a growing panic. _Somebody's trying to break our contact; separate us._

Acting fast, Sam decided to get to the highest ground possible. _I've got to find him…_

_They're separating us for a reason._

"I guess this is the final showdown," she muttered under her breath. Her hand strayed to the handgun strapped to her leg, and gently pulled it out of its holster. She cocked it, and check to see if there was a silencer on, her eyes darting back and forth.

She moved towards the western wall with her cat-like grace, and calmly stepped onto stairs leading to a lower level of a catwalk.

And the moment she stepped onto the catwalk, she knew she had made a mistake.

A large hand clamped over her mouth as another roughly snaked around her waist. Sam instantly tensed, her instincts screaming. She struggled in the man's grasp, but was unable to break free from the death grip.

She found herself trapped.

Heart beating rapidly, she tried to stretch her fingers to reach her gun, but to no avail. The man pulled her roughly away from the light, and into one of the surrounding film rooms, where another one of his cronies was waiting...

…With a gun.

Her eyes widened.

Thinking fast, Sam jammed her elbow into his chest with all her bodyweight. The lackey was thrown off balance with the shift of weight, and his death grip on her loosened with a jerk. The hard hit to his lungs stole the breath away from his body.

She saw her chance.

Digging her nails into his wrist, she used her bodyweight against his own once more and flipped the man onto his back, sending the poor guy sprawling on the floor.

Her wild eyes landed on the other guy in the room. With a cool precision, he trained a gun at her heart.

_Dammit…_

_I **knew** I should've worn a different dress. _

She wasted no time in reacting, and feinted to the side as a bullet screamed past her. Her fingertips brushed against her gun on the floor, and she instantly picked it up, swinging it in front of her.

_This better work…_

The female agent pulled the trigger, instinctively aiming towards her opponent. And without a second's hesitation, a bullet silently shearing through the air with a deadly accuracy.

The man fell to the floor.

_…Well, that was kinda easy, _Sam thought, suddenly remembering to breathe. Her gun felt heavy in her grip with the aftershock of her actions, and she suddenly felt a teasing sense of guilt.

But she quickly brushed it off as she was struck by a sudden realization.

_Dammit…!_

_…Not good! This isn't good at all!_

Her eyes darted side to side, scanning for more opponents. The room, however, was entirely empty, leaving Sam to piece together the clues.

_And if I was attacked…_

_…what about Danny? _

Sam's heart lurched. _Oh my God, **Danny**! _

Like lightning, the cogs in Sam's mind began to turn. Everything had fallen into place.

_This was what they wanted to happen…_

And so, reacting as fast as she could, the agent practically flew out of the room and back onto the catwalk, her eyes instantly locking in on the figures hidden within the shadows.

_Crap! We're surrounded…! _

Suddenly, she knew what was coming, and she knew that she couldn't stop it.

Everything became a blur.

A loud, ear-splitting shot echoed all around the ballroom, and all the unsuspecting party guests turned their heads, their expressions lit with an instant disbelief and horror at the sight. Suspense reigned with a deafening silence.

Sam leaned over the catwalk's guardrail and gasped.

_Oh my God…_

In the center of the crowd, there stood a very shocked and terrified Valerie. Her eyes were filled with an undescribable horror, and mirrored Sam's own.

And a few feet away from where Valerie stood, there was Danny.

In a fighting position, the agent had his handgun trained in the direction of the shooter. From a distance, he looked every inch of a secret agent.

But something was wrong.

His sapphire eyes were wide and frantic. His breaths were suddenly short and ragged. The gun shook in his grip.

His eyes desperately searched, and he lifted his shaky gaze to meet her's, his eyes telling her everything.

_…No…_

He had taken the shot for Valerie.

_No…! _

"D-Danny," Sam whispered, her body seemingly frozen in place.

Nobody moved.

The gun clattered to the floor with a deafening crash, and the blue eyed agent collapsed to his knees. He attempted to hold himself up, but his arms shook with a failing effort.

_…I'm s-sorry…Sam…_

Sam panicked.

_"Danny!"

* * *

_

o.O.o

* * *

...You know, I was thinking, and I think that I have a sick obssession with making Danny injured...(Insert dramatic sigh.) Oh well, I'm sure I'm not the only one to use stuff like that in her fanfic...

__

As for my vicious lack of updating, I'm sorry. I really am, but this is a hard story for me to write. I'm always going back and forth, trying to add in more emotion and ending up just disappointed in the end. It takes me a while to get a chapter revised, but I'm always satisfied in the end. And I think that me taking forever has started to make me see where things can be improved in my writing.

Anyway, I'll try to update this story by end of January, beginning of February, but I'm not gonna stake my soul on it or anything. But believe me, I'll try:)

Yay! More interrogation time!

**1.) Did this chapter have a generally good flow of words, or should I work more on my sentence structures? **

**2.) Are the characters interesting and, for the _most _part, still adding a fair share to the building of the plot?**

**3.) Are there any scenes or certain places in the chapter that seem out of place or slightly confusing? **

**4.) Is the transition between Danny and Sam's points of view seem choppy or awkward? **

**5.) Are the characters' thoughts realistic, or too generic? Is there any way that I could improve on this? **

Thank you so much, everyone, for being patient and supporting for me! I really appreciate all the reviews, the critisism, and the praise. I'll try to continue to live up to any expections you've set for me!

Thanks for reading,

Lightning Streak

**P.S. Please review:) They inspire me! **


	11. Aftermath

_Disclaimer: Still don't own Danny Phantom._

_Yay! Thank you for reviews! I can't even begin to tell you how many times you people have made me smile and gave me inspiration. And, while it may have taken a long time, I tried as hard as I could to make this chapter enjoyable. I hope you like it!_

**Recap from last chapter****: Danny and Sam found out a clue on Tucker's laptop that leads them to the location of the serial killer's next victim: Valerie Gray. From there, they conclude that the serial killer would most likely choose the Gala Mr. Gray (Valerie's father) was sponsoring in order to murder her and publicly humiliate her father.**

**But of course, where there's a Gala, there's a dress and a tuxedo. Unfortunately, what they weren't expecting to happen actually **_**does**_** happen. In the course of minutes, everything goes down hill. They lose contact. Their transmitters break up. The serial killer sets the stage for one hell of a finale. **

**Sam nearly gets shot by the serial killer's cronies, which she quickly finds out was a distraction. And Danny is forced to make a decision, one that could put him in potentially fatal danger. **

**He jumps in front of Valerie just in time... **

_Nobody moved._

_The gun clattered to the floor with a deafening crash, and the blue eyed agent collapsed to his knees. He attempted to hold himself up, but his arms shook with a failing effort._

…_**I'm s-sorry…Sam…**_

_Sam panicked. _

* * *

_O.o.O.o.O_

* * *

**Living On the Edge**

**Chapter 11: Aftermath**

* * *

_O.o.O.o.O_

* * *

"Danny!" 

_Oh my God…!_

The female agent found herself practically flying down the steps of the catwalk, her mind dead-set on reaching her fallen comrade. She failed to realize that she had dropped her gun somewhere along the way, and she also failed to see that the figure within the shadows had disappeared.

But she didn't care.

All she cared about was Danny.

_Please, _she prayed as she hurriedly pushed through the crowds, _please be okay, Danny…_Her eyes never left the spot where she had seen him fall.

Tears welled up in her eyes, blurring her vision. Her breath hitched, and her heartstrings tore at her soul. Guilt lashed out at her like an angry whip, and never before had she felt so much panic for just one person.

_Please be alive…!_

Huge swarms of people flew by in a blur before Sam finally came to the end. She shoved the last of the people in her way, and stood before the scene of the crime.

She felt her heart stop.

_Oh my God…_

There, near the steps to the ballroom's second level, was a fallen Danny. Her partner's weapon had landed a few inches from his right hand, and his other hand tightly clutched his stomach.

Sam ran from the edge of the crowd to her friend, tripping over her dress hem in the meantime. A wide tear ripped itself to just below her knee, but she didn't care. The dress was the least of her worries; it was replaceable.

Danny wasn't.

She fell to her knees next to Danny, and she instantly began checking for vital signs. Movement, circulation, _anything_! Anything to tell her that Danny was still alive. His blue eyes were tightly shut, and his black bangs were splayed over his face.

_Please be okay…_

But her eyebrows instantly furrowed. There was no sign of blood, which was (obviously) something to be expected after a shooting. The tiles surrounding them were sparkling clean. Danny wasn't lying in a pool of blood, nor was his jacket stained.

He groaned when she felt for a pulse in his neck, and his right hand twitched. His pulse was a little fast, but strong.

More hopeful than before, she quickly unbuttoned his top jacket so that she could find where he had been shot.

Yet to her surprise, she didn't find any blood stains on Danny's white shirt. Rather, she found a vest.

A bullet-proof vest.

Within the second, Sam found herself staring back into blurry, tired blue eyes.

"H-hey, Sam," Danny managed to say, a weak smile on his face. But then he grimaced as he felt his chest pound with sharp pain, a very prominent reminder of his mistake. The vest may have saved his life, but the impact of the bullet still hurt like Hell.

"Oh my God!" the female agent sank in relief, all of her adrenaline coursing out of her veins and leaving behind a pounding heart.

_He's okay…he's okay…_The deep dread in her heart dampened. Hope swelled in its place.

Her eyesight was blurry from withheld tears, but she could still clearly see that her partner was alive. "Danny, you idiot!" Without even thinking, she threw her arms around him in a hug. "You could have gotten yourself killed, you know that?"

"…Yeah, but I had to… protect Valerie…"

His raspy voice betrayed his body's agony, and his shallow breathing was ragged. Danny's lips drew back in a grimace. _God…I hate bullets…_

He was definitely in pain.

Realizing this, Sam gently wrapped an arm around his shoulders and helped him up into a sitting position. "Thanks," he panted out, gasping . He shakingly reached for his gun, which laid on the floor beside him. "Everyone's okay?" he asked as his fingers clanged against the cold metal of the gun.

"Yeah," Sam replied softly. "Whoever shot you disappeared afterwards…" She tried to stabilize her rapidly beating heart.

She still couldn't believe all that had happened, it happened so fast. The last few minutes of her life were a blur, and her heart was beating so fast that she couldn't tell one beat from another. "So, you're alright?"

"I will be," he grimaced in return, "just as soon as I get a lung transplant." To emphasize his statement, he weakly coughed, and Sam couldn't help but smile at his attempt to joke. "God, I feel like my internal organs deflated…"

"Then let's get you out of here…"

Unfortunately, it was at that moment that both agents realized they were the center of attention. Everyone was staring (in a rather panicked fashion) at them. A deafening silence reined in the most intense fear from the crowd.

Neither the agents nor the party guests could snap out of their shock.

"…Ehe…" was all Sam could manage to squeak.

And Danny, having just been shot within an inch of his life, could barely breathe, let alone react to his situation.

However, there was one person who had seemingly broken out of her shock, and that was Valerie. Her horror-stricken expression slowly melted into an aftershock.

_Oh my God. _

The would-be victim shivered suddenly, the situation catching up with her brain. _No way…_

The twenty year old glanced to her right and her teal eyes locked onto the fallen agent. _Did he just…? _

_Wait…wasn't he just over there?_

_Was that shot…_

_…for __**me?**_

Everything had happened so fast, her mind blurred the past few seconds.

She knew she had overheard something she wasn't supposed to, but to go as far as kill her? Valerie couldn't suppress another cold shiver that clawed down her back.

An attempt was just made on her life.

_Oh my God._

And somebody protected her.

Thus, trying to pull herself together, the woman shook the fear from her veins and steeled herself for anything else. The metallic handle of a pistol against her leg felt strangely comforting all of a sudden, and she was glad that she'd strapped it on underneath her dress.

You know, just in case.

Her blood red dress suddenly began to sparkle in the light, as if it too had been frozen in time for just one second.

_I'm okay…_

Thus, without a second thought, Valerie hurriedly ran over to the two agents, who had just become the height of attention. "Are you alright?" she questioned, leaning down onto her knees beside them. The woman with violet eyes glanced back up at her, and soon the man's startling blue eyes followed.

"I'll be okay," the male agent managed to say weakly. "I just…I need…" _I need a vacation…_

His partner cut him off, although not unkindly. "You need to get out of here," she retorted, trying to balance his weight against hers.

Valerie, however, noticed that the lady wasn't strong enough to do so, and she hesitantly wrapped her own arm around the man's shoulders to help the woman out.

And apparently, she appreciated it.

"Thanks," the woman said, her tone a little breathless. Her eyes flickered to meet Valerie's own teal ones. "Think you could help me move him?"

In return, Valerie nodded. "Yeah." Then, with a little teamwork, the two slowly lifted the male agent to a standing position, careful to help him balance. He leaned a little bit of his weight into them, however he was careful to maintain some semblance of pride.

"Ya know," he mumbled under his breath, "I'm not an invalid…" _I could still walk…if I wanted to…_The idea of depending on others wasn't something he liked, and his blue eyes darkened a bit in a reluctant annoyance.

The woman snorted. "You might as _well_ be an invalid." _You can sure act like one…_she thought with tinge of affection.

Valerie's lips upturned in a little, the two's banter providing a little relief from the gravity of the situation. "I'm Valerie," she said, sticking out her free hand towards the violet-eyed woman.

In return, the woman gave a half-smile and shook her hand. "I know. I'm Sam." She retracted her hand and set her gaze straight ahead, neither accepting nor refusing Valerie's silent friendship. "Now," she directed rather professionally, "help me get this idiot some medical attention."

* * *

_O.o.O.o.O_

* * *

A half hour later found the three within Damon Gray's headquarters, a few of his personal medical staff surrounding Danny. Damon himself had accompanied the three out of the ballroom and personally saw to it that all witnesses to the incident had their short-term memory wiped. 

Of course, he didn't really have a choice. He couldn't allow outsiders to know about the circumstances, and he had received orders from the government to maintain secrecy over the serial killer's existence.

He had left cooperating Russian agents on the scene responsible for wiping out the memories, and although he wasn't sure when they had arrived, or why they seemed to have already been there, he was glad for their silent appearance.

_Just as long as Valerie's okay, it doesn't matter… _Damon let out a big sigh.

He wanted to personally thank the man who had taken Valerie's shot.

The man, whoever he was, was currently sitting on top of a cleared desk in the main entryway of the St. Petersburg Security and Defense headquarters, wincing as one of the medical team helped him out of his jacket. The man's girlfriend (or at least that's what Damon guessed she was) stayed right by his side, silently awaiting the results of the medical exam.

Damon's hands shook a little with the imagery of what could have happened. Fearfully, he glanced at his daughter. His alive, perfectly well daughter. His not-dead daughter.

The bane of his life.

As a father, he had never been more scared than when the serial killer had promised Valerie's death. He couldn't take it; and yet he knew he couldn't stop the man. That serial killer was insane, twisted, and the most inhumane being he had ever met. Had it not been for that one brave man…

…His little girl would be dead.

He glanced once again at Valerie, just to be sure she was really there.

Valerie leaned up against a concrete wall, her eyes never leaving the medics. A sort of guilty apprehension in her eyes betrayed her inner thoughts, and Damon wondered if she felt the situation was her fault.

At any rate, the man who took the shot _seemed_ to be okay. He was joking with the medics at that moment, trying to cheer up both himself and his partner. A goofy little smile was on his face, and his chiseled features revealed a wince only once in a while.

He seemed to be coming out of his shock. Of course, he _had_ been wearing a bullet-proof vest, from what Damon had gathered.

Although _why_ a normal citizen was wearing a vest like that was beyond him.

The president of the Security and Defense decided to confront the man. The sound of his leather shoes was softened by the rich, plush carpet of red as he approached the small group.

With a clearing of his throat, all eyes swung to meet his gaze. He, in return looked down to the man sitting on the desk. "I'm Damon Gray," he said humbly, sticking out his hand, "and I just wanted to thank you for saving my daughter's life."

The man met his gaze fully, and, with slow movements, shook Damon's hand back. His grip, despite the prior events, was strong, as if he was trying to put the past behind him. "It's no problem, Mr. Gray," he replied good-naturedly. Hiding a small wince, he gave a smile. "Just doing my job."

"Your job?" Damon questioned, rather interested by his answer. "What do you mean?"

His blue eyes were suddenly bright and animated, as lively as sparkling diamonds. "Oh, you know," he shrugged jokingly, "just saving damsels in distress." His partner tried to hide a noise that suspiciously sounded like a snort, but Damon wasn't too sure. In any case, he _did_ see the girl poke him in the ribs.

"Ouch!" Danny yelped, his torso jerking away from Sam's silent disagreement of his former statements. "That hurts, you know," he whined, protectively covering his stomach from further attacks. He coughed pathetically (although he really was grimacing in pain), and Sam rolled her eyes. One of the medics stifled a little laugh, writing down medical garble on his clipboard.

"You _deserved _that one," she replied flatly.

Damon's lips quirked up in a little smile, somewhat amused by their banter. _What an odd pair…_ "If I'm not being too bold, might I ask what your name is, son?"

The blue-eyed man, after a quick moment to regain his composure, replied with, "Danny. And this skinny pole here is my friend, Sam." Sam pressed her lips together and glared at him, but said nothing.

"Well then, Danny and Sam, I'm sorry that this all happened," Damon apologized whole-heartedly. "I didn't mean for you to get involved in this, and I certainly wasn't expecting you to take a _bullet_ over it." His eyebrows furrowed in thought. "Although, now that I think of it, why _did_ you? And why were you wearing a bullet-proof vest?"

The cogs in Damon's mind were turning at a vicious pace. _It…it was almost as if Danny was __**expecting**__ the bullet._

_But that can't be right…_

_…Can it? _

Danny and Sam glanced out of the corner of their eyes, looking at each other. _Don't tell him… _"Well, umm…" Danny struggled for words. "It's just, I-"

"Mr. Gray," one of the medics cut in, "I believe we've completed our exam." She motioned over the man with the clipboard, who in turn looked up.

"Ah yes, Mr. Gray; just the man I'm looking for." The head medic gave a casual smile, clipping his pencil off from his coat's pocket. "Looks like Valerie's savior here checks out."

"Danny's system seems to have come out of shock from the bullet's force, which I might say is a good sign." He lightly tapped his pencil against Danny's ribs, and the agent jerked, biting back a yelp of pain. "His ribs, however, seem to have gotten a pretty good beating. They're just bruised, from what I can tell. But we'd have to perform x-rays in order to be completely sure."

The man handed Danny back his jacket, who gratefully took it. It was _cold _in that building. He winced a bit as his torso protested the action, and tried to avoid overtaxing his abused body so early.

"I would recommend at least two days of rest," the doctor continued, "if not more. I would also advise staying away from high-impact activities, or anything that could possibly overexert yourself." He gave Danny a pointed look. "That includes no more playing hero."

Danny gave them a sheepish smile. _Well, that's gonna be hard…_

_Good thing I'm used to ignoring orders. _

The doctor then cleared his throat. "Well, if this examination was all that you wanted me to do, then my work here is done. Danny's free to go." Then, after a pause, the doctor said, "Oh, and Mr. Gray? I would like to speak with you in my office for a quick moment, if you don't mind…"

Damon, caught in between wanting to question Danny and helping his subordinate, hesitated. _Couldn't it wait? _he was tempted to ask, but thought better of it. He sighed, "I don't mind."

The doctor motioned him along out the door, probably to talk about the bill, and professionally directed the man's steps.

This left the two agents, along with Valerie.

And this, of course, made for a very …_awkward _silence.

The silence was a little tense too, as if Valerie suspected them of something or as if Sam was about ready to hurt Danny for his comments.

The male agent hoped it wasn't the latter.

In any case, during said silence, Valerie lifted up her chin, straightened her posture, and determinedly strode over to where they were. Her red dress sparkled dangerously in the dim light, as if it were a warning.

She matched the gazes of Sam and Danny with one of her own, and then, after a short pause, said, "Thank you for saving me…" One of her regal eyebrows raised. "But…_why_ did you? _How_ did you know I was in danger?"

_You had to of known something…_

In return, Danny bit his lip, casting Sam a rather anxious look. And Sam, being the normally calm and collected one, had surprisingly nothing to say. She shrugged her shoulders, but her violet eyes relayed the emotion that matched Danny's.

Danny turned back to Valerie with a reluctant expression. "Just, uh…a wild guess?" he answered hesitantly.

Sam slapped her forehead. _Oh dear God…_

"Then why were you wearing a bullet-proof vest?" Valerie pressed on, placing her hands on her hips. A rather silent moment passed. And then, a light bulb seemed to appear over her head of ebony curls, and it quite obviously opened up a whole new can of worms. "Are you an agent?"

Danny's heart skipped a beat with the accusation, but he said nothing. _This isn't good…_he thought apprehensively.

Valerie's expression told him that she had caught onto something. And she obviously knew it.

"Look," she finally told them point-blank, "I _know _something's going on. You had of known _something_, or else I would have been dead right now…It's too much of a coincidence to be just that."

Then, with a quick scan of the room, the caramel-skinned woman reached for the strap that held her gun against her calf. There, she pulled out a small badge, and showed it to Sam and Danny.

Oh, and it wasn't just any badge. Rather, it was something _much, _much more.

It was a Foreign Intelligence Service badge; the Russian equivalent of the CIA.

Valerie was a Russian Agent.

"I know you're _both _agents." the woman finally decided. "But who do you work for? Why are you here? How did you know I was in danger?"

Valerie tilted her head with a raised eyebrow, soaking in Sam and Danny's rather hesitant expressions. Their eyes seemed to communicate a sudden distrust for the Russian agent, and Valerie knew that if she didn't assure them of her intentions, they would never talk.

The woman blew a curly strand out of her eyes. "I'm here alone, and I promise on my badge that I'll keep this whole thing as confidential as possible."

That seemed to win them over.

"We'll cooperate," Sam replied hesitantly for the team. "But," she added, "only if you relay the knowledge you've found about the serial killer."

"Sounds fair enough," Valerie guardedly answered. "Now, _whose _agents are you? And how did you find out about this?"

A few seconds ticked by in one last moment of indecision. _What should we say? Is she really who she says she is? _

_Will she use the information against us? _

Still, the two agents decided in favor of Valerie. She was a Russian Agent, and the US was currently allied with the Foreign Intelligence Service.

Not to mention she probably had valuable information.

"We're from the United States," Danny finally admitted. "The CIA, actually."

Valerie's eyes seemed to brighten in understanding. "Oh, so _you_ two are the agents that we were warned about!" She subconsciously tucked her badge back into her gun's calf-strap. "No one told us when to expect you here; after your last agent was murdered, we weren't sure exactly how long it would take for the agency to recoup."

Danny, unsure as to whether Valerie's comment should be taken as insult or compliment, just smiled weakly. "It was a hard hit for us to take, but we managed," he replied rather neutrally.

Sam took it as an insult, and her pretty facial features twisted into a scowl. Or perhaps, maybe it was not Valerie that had suddenly put her into a bad mood…

Possibly, it was just the topic of the conversation.

At any rate, though, the sense of distrust that swarmed around Valerie had seemed to disappear. "Well, as you know, we've been trying to track this serial killer down for over a year," the Russian agent said with a sigh. "It's the only reason why we cooperated with the CIA."

Danny bit his lip. "Are there any leads as to why three murders have taken place in Russia? I mean, what makes this place any more special for this killer?"

"We're not entirely sure," Valerie returned, somewhat reluctantly. It was as if she couldn't bear to admit her lack of answers. "My operatives and I have been constantly monitoring secretive gang activities and the like, but nothing alarming has showed up. This serial killer doesn't even seem to have contact with any local weapon dealers." She paused. "Or, at least any local weapon dealers that we know of…"

"So how did you overhear that phone call?" Sam asked curiously. Despite the guarded gaze that over toned her expression, her instincts were screaming that Valerie had stumbled onto a loop hole in the serial killer's plans. The result was a somewhat neutral, platonic countenance with a raging river beneath.

_**He**__ would never be so sloppy…_Sam wondered with a calculating mind. _He's got more than enough agents infiltrating Russia. _

_So what did Valerie do to catch him off guard?_

But then it hit her. _Or was he just expecting it the __**whole time**__? Is this just another flag for me to follow?_

Suddenly, a very sick feeling welled inside Sam's mind.

With Sam's question though, Valerie had suddenly gained a guilty expression. Sort of like a kid with their hand caught in a cookie jar. "I was tracking my dad's phone without permission," she admitted. " I know I shouldn't have done that in the first place… But Daddy didn't, and still _doesn't_ know that I'm involved in the SVR. And, I-"

"-Wait a minute," Danny cut in, a confused expression gracing his features. "I thought your badge said the Foreign Intelligence Service?"

The Russian agent gave him a rather pointed look, as if unsure whether to classify Danny as an idiot, or as just a confused individual. "That _is_ the Foreign Intelligence Service. It's the abbreviation of it," she told him as if he were one log short of a roaring fire.

"But the letters don't correspond!" Danny argued, puzzled. "SVR? FIS?"

"It's the abbreviation in Russian," Sam answered for Valerie. "In Russian, Foreign Intelligence Service is _Sluzhba Vneshney Razvedki_. So therefore, it's acronym is SVR."

Valerie gave Sam an appreciative glance. "Thank you for spelling that out." _I guess __**some**__ Americans aren't stupid…_

"No problem," the woman shrugged. "I'm used to doing that with Danny around…"

"Hey!" Danny shot back, pouting a bit that his intelligence was, once again, insulted. "You don't always have to spell things out! Why, I-"

But then he stopped himself. "You know Russian?" he asked suddenly. "Why didn't you tell me?" His eyebrows furrowed. "Why didn't I know this already?"

Sam shrugged once more. "I took Russian in high school. And I never told you because you never asked me." In a classic men-are-clueless mode, the agent crossed her arms.

She hid a sad frown behind her stoic mask.

_There's a lot you don't know about me, Danny…_

"_Anyway_," Valerie moved on, trying to get the topic back on track, "I was tracking my dad's phone. I did it without the permission of my operatives because I didn't want to involve my dad. I knew he had been contacted before, but with his job on the line…" she trailed off, "…I didn't want to risk him losing his position as President of St. Petersburg Defense."

The Russian agent furrowed her eyebrows, as if trying to remember every detail. "When I found out that Dad was being blackmailed, I knew I _had _to do something. I had to find some evidence that both proved his innocence, but gave the SVR a lead." She shrugged. "So I recorded a conversation between them…"

Her shrug sagged a bit, as did her posture. "I just didn't know that the serial killer had all the bases covered. He knew more about me than _I _did _him_." She swept a hand in the direction of Danny. "I never meant for things to get this out of hand, just from a silly phone call."

Valerie gave them both an almost-regretful glance. "I'm sorry…"

At least she attempted to sound sincere.

At that though, silent pause filled the air, deafening in its wake. Danny, slowly but surely, slid himself off of the office desk, testing his returning strength. The moment he set his weight on his feet, a sick, sharp pain twisted in his ribs, and a small grimace lit his face. His fingers fisted around the hem of his coat in an attempt to rein in the pain.

_God, this sucks…!_

Still, he showed no sign of his condition rather than that small, allotted grimace, and he straightened his posture just to prove a point. "I'm fine," he told Valerie. Then, with a small smile, he added, "No harm done, right?" The Russian agent just returned a small smile too, but her expression told him that she didn't believe him.

"Was the SVR aware of this possible attack?" Sam asked her. "I mean, you had to of known that your life was danger."

Valerie sighed, subconsciously fiddling with the ruby ring on her index finger. "Yes, well…I just, I mean…" she stuttered. But then, her expression hardened, and she said straight out, "Well, yes and no. _Yes_, three of my operative knew, but no one else did." She slid the ring off of her finger, twirling it in her palm. "If I had told my superiors, I would have been immediately taken from the mission, and locked into a fake identity program." _And I __**refuse**__ to give this job up, _she added silently.

"So, were the people that knew at the Gala with you?" Danny questioned. Then, with a slight whine, he added, "And if they were, then why did _I_ have to take the shot?"

Valerie bit her lip to hide a smile. But she quickly sobered up as reality weighed down on her. "Actually, they were-"

And then, it happened.

It was something that, even if known ahead of time, was completely invincible to being foiled.

The lights shut off. The building's security alarm sounded. Valerie's intruder alert spy-watch rocketed into a hap hazardous beeping.

They were under attack.

The serial killer had arrived.

And they were vulnerable.

Instantly, the three agents jumped to foremost attention, eyes darting to find a source.

Valerie instantly slid her gun from her holster, training her aim in every direction. She moved the point from one door to another, as if expecting something to bust through them. Sam followed suit with her own gun; instincts warning her once more.

"What's going on?" the violet-eyed agent demanded harshly. Her finger was on the trigger of the gun. "Who's attacking?"

"The serial killer, that's who," Valerie answered dryly. But her voice was tense and strained. Her gaze, calculating and hard, held some sense of self-doubt that laid shadowed behind her eyes.

"But he just attacked!" Danny voiced all of their thoughts. His baby blue eyes flashed in angry confusion as he pulled out his own .44 colt and set the trigger. "Why would he try to attack us again?" The weight of the gun felt heavy in his hands, and his fingers felt sluggish in their positions. Distantly, Danny wondered if was even physically _able_ to handle another attack.

Instinct told him that he couldn't. Or, at least not on his own power.

Valerie's voice cut into his thoughts. "I don't know! I don't know how he could even _afford_ to attack twice in one night!" She shook her head as the blaring alarms seared her eardrums. "But I know-I _know_-that it's the killer."

An apprehensive feeling warped its way into her mind. _That's his alarm…_

_Dad, where are you?_

The security had engineered countless different signals and sounds into the system, all of which held their own distinctive pattern. A certain alarm was assigned to a certain criminal, and when an emergency popped up, the agents in the building knew exactly _who_ was attacking.

Just by sound.

And the deafening resonation that was currently blasting struck a sick fear into Valerie's heart.

_This isn't going to end well…_

In the meantime, Sam stood her ground behind Valerie and Danny, her gun still ready to shoot. Her eyes were narrowed, and her jaw was set with a grimness that, if anyone saw, couldn't have guessed the actual reason why.

_Come on…_

_…When are you going to strike, you __**snake**__…_

She knew her boss had strategized a three-prong attack, but the details had been left out. He obviously hadn't trusted Sam enough to maintain the course, and Sam obviously hadn't trusted him enough to even _want_ the details.

But she knew it wasn't gonna be good. And as far as she knew, her own life was just as good of game as Danny's. She was expendable, and she knew it.

It was every agent for themselves where she came from.

By that time, Valerie, Danny, and Sam had backed away to a wall; a solid barrier to their backs. "Where's Damon and the medics?" Danny asked suddenly. A rough edge had appeared in his tone, as if something was bothering him. "Shouldn't they have been able to hear this god-damn alarm?" His eyes darted over every inch of the wide office, feeling completely vulnerable.

His breath hitched with the waves of pain that tore down his torso.

"They should have." Valerie's voice suddenly grew panicked. "Unless, they were…" she trailed off with a gulp.

She didn't have to finish her sentence to get her point across.

The agents merely stood their ground, silently awaiting whatever was to happen.

And then, for unknown reasons, the alarm suddenly shut off. A dark, tense silence wavered in the air as the emergency generators switched on. The fluorescent lights above them flickered to life, their light more alienated and harsh.

It blinded them for a quick second. And, because of the sudden onslaught of pain, Danny almost dropped his gun.

Then, for even stranger reasons, the emergency generators shut off. The lights flickered once, twice, and then died, leaving the three in complete darkness.

"What's going on?" Sam whispered to Valerie. "Shouldn't the generators have stayed on?" Her eyes, accustomed to the light, were dilating. As time passed, she could just barely make out the rough outlines of Danny and Valerie.

"Not if someone's tampering with the mainframe of this place," Valerie whispered back. "I think the serial killer's got full reign here..."

"Well that's lovely," Danny hissed sarcastically. Hiding a grimace, he asked rhetorically, "Anything else the man's got control of?"

Sam suddenly felt tempted to answer his rhetorical question, but didn't actually have the heart to tell him.

Disregarding that though, she didn't have _time_, even if she wanted to tell him. For, at that moment, the tense silence rose to a staggering degree.

It was the calm before the storm.

_He_ was going to strike.

* * *

_Wow, it's been a while, hasn't it? I guess I almost forgot about this story…_

_Well, that and time flies way too fast for me._

_But anyways, I pulled one of those "last minute panic" things, and wrote about ten pages worth of words today. Talk about procrastination, right:) I had just gotten so caught up in another part of Fanfiction (namely, Howl's Moving Castle), that I had nearly forgotten that I was gonna update this today. I'm sorry! I'm so selfish! But…but Howl's Moving Castle is soo cool! I just saw the movie, and I went crazy! I think I burned through the entire collection of Fanfiction for that here…(sheepish smile.)_

_But I promise you all that I'm not gonna take another six months to update again. I'm trying to be more dedicated! Really, I am! (Gets hit by a potato.) Ouchies…_

_Now…for my interrogation of insanity! Muahaha!_

**1.) Did this chapter have a generally good flow of words, or should I work more on my sentence structures? **

**2.) Are the characters interesting and, for the _most _part, still adding a fair share to the building of the plot?**

**3.) Are there any scenes or certain places in the chapter that seem out of place or slightly confusing? **

**4.) Is the transition between points of view seem choppy or awkward? **

**5.) Are the characters' thoughts realistic, or too generic? Is there any way that I could improve on this? **

**6.) ****Despite the time-lapse between updates, has this story been able to keep your attention and maintain a certain level of reader interest?**

_But seriously, I can't thank you guys enough for answering these questions. I use them to gauge my progress inbetween chapters, and I also use them to give me an overall idea of how my writing sounds to others. Since every chapter is different, it also tells me my strengths and weaknesses with action, suspense, and use of other creative devices. I seriously want to become an author one day, and I feel like everything you guys have done for me has really allowed me to grow in my writing. So thank you once more!_

_**Lightning Streak**_

* * *

_To be continued..._


	12. Aftermath of the Aftermath

Disclaimer: Don't own Danny Phantom.

* * *

_**Summary Of Story So Far: (For those who forgot the plot since I last updated! )**_

Danny's old partner has been murdered, so Sam is recruited. Sparks fly at first, but Sam and Danny find it hard to stand each other. Invariably, the idea that they would work as a "couple" in the mission to take down Russia's serial killer backfires.

Anyway, as they prepare for the mission, Sam gets shot and the CIA's hacker, Tucker, is out of commission due to an attempted murder. Danny goes to the hospital Tucker is residing at and pulls up his profile with a stolen laptop to figure out a few missing details.

After checking out some of Sam's profile (something he couldn't resist seeing), he is found by local police and accused of being a criminal hacker. Needless to say, the situation of him being a criminal is resolved, but Sam's profile has left Danny wondering. Is she being blackmailed?

As soon as Sam's bullet wound is healed they begin heading for Pulkovo National Airport, Russia. There, they claim their hotel rooms at The Sapphire Cove Hotel in St. Petersburg.

Danny and Sam find out a clue on Tucker's laptop that leads them to the location of the serial killer's next victim: Valerie Gray. From there, they conclude that the serial killer would most likely choose the Gala Mr. Gray (Valerie's father) was sponsoring in order to murder her and publicly humiliate her father.

But of course, where there's a Gala, there's a dress and a tuxedo. And what they weren't expecting to happen actually _does_ happen. In the course of minutes, everything goes down hill. They lose contact. Their transmitters break up. The serial killer sets the stage for one hell of a finale.

Sam nearly gets shot by the serial killer's cronies, which she quickly finds out was a distraction. And Danny is forced to make a decision, one that could put him in potentially fatal danger. He jumps in front of Valerie just in time, and takes the shot meant for her.

Well, after initial shock, they all find out that Danny had been wearing a bullet-proof vest, and thus was safe. Damon Gray, however, does not take this turn of events lightly. Feeling responsible, he calls for a medical team to make sure Danny was okay, and he also cancels the rest of the Gala. (Most people who attended had their memory wiped.)

As the doctor speaks with Damon, Sam and Danny find out that Valerie was in fact a Russian Agent. She was targeted by the serial killer because she had discovered that her father was being blackmailed by the man, and she had recorded a conversation between them; evidence that had to be revealed.

Unfortunately, the serial killer strikes again. The lights flicker off, the emergency generators are mysteriously overridden, and suddenly, the three agents find themselves alone.

_It was the calm before the storm._

_**He**__ was going to strike.

* * *

_

**Living On the Edge**

**Chapter 12: Aftermath of the Aftermath

* * *

**

Time flew so fast and yet crawled so slowly. The tension rose to such indescribable levels that air itself seemed to hang in expectation. _Life _hung in balance.

Seconds passed, counted by heartbeats.

In the meantime, a bead of sweat trailed down Danny's temple. It was taking every ounce of self-discipline he had to maintain his position. The gun shook slightly in his hands, and his ribs pulsed a deep ache.

Danny knew he was in trouble.

And if a shoot-out was in the future, he was gonna have one _heck_ of time keeping up.

Nevertheless, he steeled himself to whatever was coming. His stance, a fighter's stance, was as proud and tall as any other, and his eyes were narrowed, locking onto any hint of movement. He was as ready as he could be. He was willing to take on the fight. He _wouldn't_ back down.

And then, without warning, it began.

_Judgment Day. _

The front entrance exploded into fire; the windows burst from the explosion. A sonic blast resounded off the walls, and spiraled into the agents, roaring louder than a train engine.

Danny, Sam, and Valerie instantly fell to the floor, covering their eyes from the blast. Valerie spun out of the way of stray debris, and Danny had to shield himself with his arms from falling glass.

Sam had somehow avoided the blast. Instantly, her arms raised, and she narrowed her eyes. _Three…Two…_She pulled the trigger of her gun.

_One. _

A bullet sheared through the air and into the fiery mess. A shadowy figure fell from within the flames, and were soon engulfed. Another fell, only this time it was thanks to Danny.

He ran up beside Sam, eyes lit with intense calculation. No longer could the female agent see Danny's clumsiness or joking side. Rather, Danny was suddenly the agent that she had forgotten he was.

"We have to fall back!" he yelled over the chaos. His quick eyes caught site of another enemy, and he forgot about his injuries. He raised his arm, and without even looking, shot into the air.

The enemy fell backwards, a hole in his heart.

Danny made a quick scan of the room. "Where are they all _coming_ from?!" he muttered under his breath. For, wherever he looked, a black shadow hid in the darkness.

They were surrounded.

With a quick pat, he realized that he still had on his bullet proof vest. _Thank God; I'm __**definitely **__gonna need it now…_

He turned right; Sam was following his orders. She disappeared into the wide halls, Valerie close behind. Their shots flew over his head and around his body, zinging past to bury themselves within the enemy.

And as Danny fell back to follow them, he aimed and fired.

The odds were definitely against them.

Nevertheless, he had to forget that; the odds didn't matter. Or they shouldn't have, anyway.

He was a CIA agent. He had a mission.

Paintings and decorations fell from the walls, glass shattering everywhere. Danny zigzagged through the main hallway, desperately avoiding enemy shots and shrapnel, and only turning around to shoot.

Every step, every pull of the trigger set his ribs on fire, but the adrenaline dampened the feeling. His heart pumped madly, trying to keep up. It had been a long time since Danny had felt such strain on his system…

_I've got to get out of here…_

The passageways ahead of him were dark and untouched by destruction, a waiting disaster. He knew Sam and Valerie were somewhere within the maze of rooms. And wherever they were, he had to find them.

Long, powerful strides carried the agent through the main hallway, and he disappeared into the shadows. If he listened carefully, he could just hear the running click of high heels. _Sam…!_

Black bangs rushed into his eyes the faster he ran, swishing with the action. It was only a matter of time before the enemy caught onto his trail, something he desperately wanted to avoid. And he had to find his _own _team before that happened.

He pulled a black device out of his suit's pocket, activating it. The small little PDA flickered to life, microchips whirling in place. A wide, blue laser shot out from it, scanning the rapidly disappearing hall.

In under a second, the processor had recorded the layout of the building.

Danny pushed another one of the glowing buttons. "_**Heat scanner engaged**_," a quiet, robotic voice answered. "_**Please signify agent code**_**." **

"Code 9371," he breathlessly commanded. "Find location of agent Sam Manson."

"_**Heat signature locked. Sam Manson located." **_A digital map appeared on the lit screen, directing Danny's path. _"__**Location: approximately 50 yards**__." _

Sam had made it to the central office stations.

With a grimace of worry, Danny pulled a James Bond, sharply pivoting into another hall. The blue light of the PDA lit up the walls, revealing countless security systems.

And they were all strangely deactivated. _Well that's not good… _Apparently, the serial mastermind truly did have control.

_Which means I'm a sitting duck. _

"_**Warning; enemy persons located." **_The robotic voice cut into Danny's thoughts, and he looked back down at the device. _And that's even worse. _

"_**Four out of four heat signatures unidentifiable. Location: approximately twenty yards and closing**_**." **The PDA's circuitry seemed to teem to life as it accepted another command. "_**Metal Scanner engaged…" **_

_**"Scanning…" **_Only Danny's harsh breathing could be heard for a second. _**"Scan complete. Metal weaponry found on unidentified persons." **_

_**"Approximate degree of weaponry: deadly." **_The agent suddenly realized that the serial had locked in on his position. _Just great, _he moaned_. Things never go my way…_

He realized he had to escape from the radar somehow.

"_**Activating cloaking device." **_An infrared light suddenly surrounded Danny, thus interfering with any other tracking devices. "_**Agent currently undetectable." **_

The male smirked. _Well, that should throw him off for a while. _

And somewhere in the building, a serial killer violently cursed.

_Dammit!

* * *

_

Sam felt the building rumble beneath her feet. "They're getting closer," she whispered to Valerie. The Russian agent merely nodded, tightening the grip on her weapon.

"Where's Danny?" Valerie questioned hurriedly as they sprinted past countless desks. "He should be here by now."

The other female looked behind her shoulder, as if hoping to see their lost comrade. "I've no idea." She pivoted back around and gritted her teeth, grimacing. "He better get here soon, though…"

She was starting to get anxious, and every minute that Danny wasn't beside her was another minute spent in worry.

Valerie's eyes widened a bit. "Maybe he got held up by the enemy…!"

"No, no," Sam countered distractedly. She pulled a pin out of her hair, letting one of the curls fall loose. "He's too stupid to get caught." The pin flattened, and then revealed a small button. Valerie looked at her strangely, but Sam couldn't tell whether it was from her comment, or her hairpin.

Sam ignored the look and pushed the button, unsurprised when it clicked and turned in her hand. "I'm gonna try and send a signal to Danny, and maybe he'll find us…" An electronic wave pulsed through the air, sending straight to her partner's PDA. "I know we're being followed."

_And not just by Danny…

* * *

_

Speaking of which, said agent was currently racing closer to the central office stations, breathing harder than normal. His baby blue eyes were narrowed and calculating, concentrated. He knew at least four lackeys were on his tail, and if he could only lose them…Then maybe it'd save Sam and Valerie from getting shot. They weren't wearing a bullet-proof vest like he was.

A swift turn, a hand on the trigger, and one bullet later, he had shot through the wall into another passageway. "_**Unidentified heat signature inaccessible**_," came the robotic voice. _**"Three out of four enemy signals remaining."**_

And as Danny unlocked the gun's chamber and reloaded, he wondered why he had chosen this life, and why he continued it.

He wasn't quite as invincible as he used to be, after all.

In the meantime, an unfamiliar man resided within familiar halls. He knew the building like the back of his hand, and he could access any security system on a whim. He could do just about anything.

What he couldn't do, however, was capture a certain Danny Fenton. And it was starting to wear on his nerves.

So far, the wily agent had avoided being located. The killer couldn't lock down on Danny's heat signature, nor could he pick up any electronic signal. None of his security traps had been triggered. The agent had remained completely undetectable in the highest technological building ever conceived by man. This Danny was obviously a master spy.

But then, the serial killer had expected nothing less.

As he traced the path of his minions on the computer, a small smirk curled his lips. _Well, Fenton, _he thought, _if you want a fight, I'll give you one. _

He twirled a rather high-tech device in his hand, something of his own invention.

The serial killer knew that the blast would kill his minions as well, but he didn't really care. They had done their job, and he had more waiting if he needed them.

They were expendable resources.

"Nothing personal," he whispered mock-tragically, turning to a master control system. Before him laid the fate and destiny of all caught within his web, and he intended to use it while he had the chance. His voice was sly and demented, as if he were the devil himself.

"Initiate nuclear blast, code 49021," he told the voice-activated controls. "Ground zero of detonation: central office stations."

And the computer talked back. _**"Countdown sequence engaged," **_a female voice replied mechanically. "_**Estimated time before detonation: Fifteen minutes." **_And suddenly, the master controls seemed to come to life, inner mechanisms aligning and interlocking.

The entire building was geared to be brought down to its foundation.

And now all he had to do was call for his helicopter.

He smiled an evil smile, picking his coat up from off his desk. _I suppose I'd better get going… I have agents to entertain, after all. Lives to eradicate, places to see…_

The serial killer wasn't god, obviously. But in his own mind, he was close.

* * *

At the sight of a moving shadow, Sam quickly pulled the trigger. _Click. _

Nothing.

Eyes wide, she pulled her gun closer to her, and checked the chamber. And at that moment, a sick feeling of dread filled her. _Uh oh. _

"Dammit!" she whispered under her breath. Turning to Valerie, she yelled, "I'm outta bullets!"

The shadow attempted to shoot, but miserably failed at hitting them.

The Russian agent swung around, eyes locking on her target. "I got your back," she answered confidently. A shot rang out, and soon the shadow stumbled backwards, his own gun flying from his grip. Training the gun every which way, Valerie slowly made her way to the fallen man.

In the meantime, Sam was assessing their situation. She twisted behind a support pillar, and narrowly avoided exposing her position to a stalking enemy. "Ugh, where are these people _coming_ from?" came her irritated and frustrated remark.

Valerie briefly flickered her eyes back to her ally. "It looks like they're infiltrating from a passageway on the second floor."

Sam backed herself against a sturdy, wooden cubicle divider. "Well," she said, eyes darting, "I think we're surrounded, if that makes you feel better."

Valerie quickly aimed her gun as a precaution before she bent down to pick up the man's weapon. "It doesn't." She flipped the gun around in her hand, checking to see if it was usable. And as she unlocked its chamber, she noticed something strange.

_It's empty…_

The discovery made her quite irritated. "Now what kinda idiot only loads one bullet?" She threw the gun down in disgust, ignoring how it landed on the guy's chest and made him twitch.

"Look, it's okay," Sam called back, slinging her gun back into its holster. "I've got something else." And with that, she pulled something from a hidden hem within her skirt.

Valerie thought it randomly looked like a glove. "What's that?" she asked point-blank, tone skeptical. She gestured to the wires that hung off the glove as Sam slipped it over her right hand. "And what's it do?"

The U.S. agents felt a familiar feeling overcome her as the glove began to glow. "I'm not sure how to explain it." The wires slowly slinked up her arm to connect around the back of her neck; Valerie jumped back. "But it's a new weapon, powered by some new energy." Sam flexed her hand experimentally, once again testing the glove's flexibility. She looked back up at Valerie, "There's only one of these in existence, from what I know."

Valerie's expression was a cross between disgust and interest. "Really?" she asked curiously. Aware that they were losing time, she quickly walked back over to Sam, eyes scanning for more enemy agents. "What kind of energy does it take?"

Just for kicks, Sam willed the glove to shoot, and a ray of pure ectoplasm scorched through the air, searing into the ceiling. "Ecto-something," she replied rather distantly. She seemed distracted. "I forget the whole name."

The Russian agent furrowed her eyebrows. "Ecto?" Then, something hit her. "Doesn't that have to do with gho-"

And at that second, a horrible, eerie _boom_ rang through the air, pulsating towards the Russian agent. But she couldn't dodge it.

Something shot her from behind.

Valerie's eyes widened, gasping. _Oh God…!_

Sam barely had a chanced to catch her as Valerie stumbled. And Sam didn't think; she didn't ask. She merely reacted.

The female agent swung them both around, and shot an ectoplasmic blast at the guy. He didn't even stand a chance. But unfortunately, Sam knew more were coming. It wouldn't be long until the minion masses figured them out.

And that's when everything came together at once. "_Shit_," Sam cursed rather panicked. Her eyes wild, she did the only thing she could. Within seconds, she had pulled Valerie into a standing position, and had somehow hidden them from enemy sight. "We gotta get out of here!"

"You're…t-telling…_me_," Valerie hissed between her teeth. She was trying to stand on her feet, a hand at her side. With her red dress, it was hard to distinguish her blood from the material. "I think t-that I…can s-stand on my own." She pushed back her pain as much as she could.

She was an agent, dangit, and she could handle a little pain.

Her eyes hardened in anger, and with a shaking hand and bared teeth, she lifted her heavy gun and rapidly fired. _Son of a__-_

She shot her dead attacker where the sun didn't shine, just to feel better.

And it worked.

* * *

Meanwhile, Danny had thrown off his own trackers, and was rapidly approaching the central office station. _Sam's in trouble! _He could feel it. And considering how the building was crawling with enemies, he wasn't surprised. 

A strange, protectiveness overwhelmed him in that moment. He knew that Sam was a big girl and could hold her own, but he couldn't help it. He was worried. He was scared. And he wanted to get out of there alive.

The hallway suddenly veered right, and Danny followed the path, praying that it opened into the building's center.

It did.

A huge arc of pillars opened the area, and there was only a short span of hallway left until he reached the room.

But then he noticed something.

A flash of silver caught his eye, and he quickly stopped. There, lining the base of the wall, was a small, silver wire. And then he noticed more of them, silently whispering from every corner.

Danny knelt down to inspect the wire, and he gently lifted it into his hands. The wire was nearly weightless, and was of an extreme conducting metal_. Weird._

Normally, such wire was used only for-

Danny's heart stopped. -_nuclear blasts…_

He dropped the wire like it was on fire. _Oh my God. _Eyes wide, his mind started racing, and he instantly jumped back up. _Oh my God…! _His blue eyes darted around the hall way. _It's __**rigged**__…_

_…The whole building! The building's rigged to detonate!_

They had to get out of there. They had to get out of there right _now. _And so nearly tripping over himself, the agent shot down the length of the hallway, slipping into the central office station.

_I have to find Sam…!_

He didn't know how much time they had left, but he knew it wasn't enough.

And somewhere inside of him, his DNA pulsed with energy.

* * *

_(Stretches hands.) Well, I finally typed another chapter! (Left hand falls off.) Once again, I'm sorry that I'm a slow writer; I know that it's frustrating! But at the very least, I put a summary up, so you didn't have to go back and read earlier chapters to understand the plot._

_Anywho, this chapter got pretty easy to write once the action got going, and I've even started on the next chapter already! So hopefully, the next chapter won't take me so long to write._

**1.) Did this chapter have a generally good flow of words, or should I work more on my sentence structures? **

**2.) Are the characters interesting and, for the most part, still adding a fair share to the building of the plot?**

**3.) Are there any scenes or certain places in the chapter that seem out of place or slightly confusing? **

**4.) Is the point of view in this story choppy or awkward? Would it be better as a third-limited, or should I continue it in third-omniscient? **

**5.) Do the character's thoughts help along the chapter, or do they distract from it? **

**6.) ****Despite the time-lapse between updates, has this story been able to keep your attention and maintain a certain level of reader interest?**

_Once again, thank you guys so much. :) _

_Updated: Friday, January 4, 2008 at 3:00 P.M._

_**Lightning Streak**_

_Please review!_


	13. The Fight

_Disclaimer: No own DP._

_Thank you all for the reviews; I'm only sorry that I've disappointed you again with another 6 month update…Lucky for me, I've already got four pages of the next update typed, so possibly I might not fail you next time! Yay!_

* * *

**Living On the Edge**

**Chapter 13: The Fight**

* * *

With Valerie basically down for the count, Sam knew the odds were stacking against them. She readjusted the glove on her hand, grimacing.

Where was Danny? And why hadn't he come yet?

For a moment, a bolt of fear shot through her heart. Had he been gunned down too? Was he still alive? Was he…?

_No. _

No, she refused to believe that. Danny had to be around there, somewhere. He was looking for them. _And all three of us are gonna get out alive. _

She looked up at the second level of balconies surrounding the place_. Or not. _Maybe that last thought was just wishful thinking.

Maybe _everything_ at the current moment was wishful thinking. Because the way things were, nothing looked good. They were truly surrounded. And the serial killer's minions were just _waiting _for them to make a move.

"S-Sam?" Valerie tried to rip the bottom of her red dress and succeeded, pulling away a nice, long strip. "What's t-that over there?"

The other woman followed Valerie's gaze, and suddenly her eyes locked on a moving figure. _Uh oh. _She looked back to Valerie. "Stay here."

The Russian agent merely nodded, attempting to wrap the wound in her side. "No prob with that." Lucky for her, the bullet had merely grazed her side and had not sheared into her body. _Thank God for bad shots. _

Sam turned around, her eyes darting and her mind searching for an escape route. In such a game of cat and mouse, she knew that the minions would attack and retreat. They would hide until they could get a good shot; they would play good, old fashioned guerilla warfare.

Sam hated guerilla warfare. It was so unpredictable.

Nevertheless, she scanned the room for a temporary escape, hoping that perhaps the minions wouldn't follow.

Of course, some things in life were just too good to be true, and that was one of them.

She unlocked and reloaded her gun in record time, Valerie covering for her just in time. The sound of bullets ricocheted off the stone walls, storming through the air like a freight train.

Sam barely managed to avoid getting hit, and her shoulder slammed into a desk when she ducked. A shock of pain shot up her spine, and she barely restrained a cry of pain. Valerie's bullets hid her mistake from enemy ears, one lucky break.

The violet-eyed agent grimaced as she tried to pull herself together. But she realized a dark shadow was running to her. She narrowed her eyes, focusing in on that hallway. Someone was running towards her, and he looked strangely familiar.

She instantly recognized his shadow. _Danny! _Without hesitation, she lowered her gun.

His unnaturally bright, blue eyes landed on her's, and a wave of relief washed over him. "Sam," he whispered, his voice barely a breath. But his relief was quickly forgotten once he realized why he was there.

The agent narrowly avoided a bullet, pivoting to the right just in time. Sweat beaded down his temples, concentration and calculation on his expression.

By the time he reached her, sixty precious seconds had passed.

He army crawled up to the desk Sam was behind, and then quickly lifted himself up beside her.

"So glad you could make it," the female agent deadpanned, although deep down she was immensely relieved to see her partner. "You know, I almost thought-"

"-Don't have time to talk." Danny wasted no time in trying to drag her away. "Gotta move." He unceremoniously grabbed her elbow and began pulling her with him away from the desk. She gave him a strange look, instead opted to remain. What was he doing? Trying to get them killed?!

She attempted to shove him off, but she couldn't. He was too strong. "What the hell?!" she fumed in irritation. "If we move, we die!"

"But Sam!" he voiced, tugging on her arm. Something akin to anxious desperation rang in his tone. "We gotta get out of here! The building's _rigged_!"

That word made Sam's blood run cold.

She stopped resisting him. "Rigged?" she whispered softly, disbelieving. "You mean…?"

"Yes," he replied hurriedly. "I've got to get you, and Valerie, out of here!"

Sam's expression faltered. _Not good! _"But Danny! We've got other problems!" A shot rang through the air, and singed a strand of Danny's hair. Out of instinct, they both dropped down. "There's more of them coming…"

Danny reloaded his gun, jamming the chamber in place. "Dammit," he whispered underneath his breath. He flicked his gaze over at Sam. "How many are there?"

Five minutes.

Sam just shrugged, although her eyes betrayed her worry. "At least ten, no more than twenty." Then, she suddenly narrowed her eyes and aimed her gun.

A shot rang through the air. "Make that nineteen," she corrected. Danny took his position beside her, and he raised his gun.

"Shall we?" he looked over at her, his eyes hardened with an emotion only an agent could understand.

"We shall," Sam replied, reloading her gun.

And then, suddenly, they clicked.

Their movements were suddenly in sync. Their turns complemented each other. Their technique blended.

Past snide remarks were forgotten. The times they argued and fought suddenly seemed distant. The irritation they felt for another was gone. Their rocky beginning melted into memory, into the past.

The sparks that made them clash suddenly melded together.

Despite the constant pushing and pulling, Danny and Sam finally found their common ground. They clicked; they became the agents that had been dying inside of them.

For the first time, they truly were partners. The CIA's dynamic duo.

And they were _good. _

Every time Danny retaliated against the enemy, Sam was right beside him, her fluid motions complementing with his.

He blocked the enemy. She attacked the enemy.

She shot; he shot.

Like telepathy, they both knew the others' actions before they were even executed.

And that was what marked them as invincible.

It was strange, seeing them both at such a remarkable level. Danny was no longer the clumsy, over confident, and seemingly fake agent Sam had first met. No, he was _different_. It was as if he were someone else entirely. His motions were fluid, graceful and deadly. His eyes glinted with a superior intelligence Sam had never seen. He knew every step he took, and he knew every step_ she _took too. Like a panther, waiting to strike, he prowled the room.

He suddenly looked dangerous. And he suddenly looked every inch the CIA's top agent.

No, top _assassin. _

Sam was impressed.

Their constant fighting killed their ability to come together as a team. But that was then; this was now.

And _now_, they had some _serious_ ass to kick.

Personally, Sam was all too glad to participate.

Four minutes until detonation.

The black shadows fell every time she blinked. Danny's strong hand gripped her own, and he suddenly pulled her closer.

"Sam," he whispered hurriedly, "we gotta get out of here." He jerked his head to the side, and Sam looked in that direction. The clock was spinning, its inner workings disrupted by some alternate wiring. That was bad.

"How much time do we have left?"

"Not enough," Danny answered. He looked around. "Where's Valerie?"

"Here." Something tall and in red quietly stumbled from the darkness. Her hand was still covering her side, and Danny looked at her questioningly. "Bullet," she answered breathlessly.

The male agent gave her a worried look, but then she waved off his concern. "I've taken worse," Valerie told him. "Don' worry 'bout it." With a grimace, she managed to lift her gun. Without even looking, she fired it, and another minion fell.

Danny felt both impressed and slightly concerned that such a feat could be done. But he didn't have time to contemplate it. "Come on!" he pressed. "We gotta get out of here!"

Three minutes.

* * *

In a blast of ammunition and gunfire, the three agents wove through their remaining opponents, twisting and running under the constant attack. Sam took a hold of Valerie and carefully helped her into a run while Danny covered them, two guns suddenly blazing from his strong hands.

The building's outline was like a labyrinth, and navigating it in under three minutes would be a severe challenge. Parallel hallways and twisting staircases shot in front of them, taunting and teasing.

"Which way do we go?" Sam voiced incredulously.

Valerie tilted her chin to the left. "That way. Fastest way out." And because her father was the president of the organization, they followed her. Out of all three, Valerie knew the building better than anyone else.

Two minutes and thirty seconds.

Stairs followed the moment they broke through the hall doors, accessing every level of the central office stations. "Down here," the Russian agent commanded breathlessly. The amount of energy it took to run was tolling on her body. Two minutes…

The stairs were old and rusty, having been rejected for the elevator. Every metal step creaked unsteadily as the agents ran down them, and Sam just prayed they held up. Three stories from ground level, it would have to take some beating before

One minute.

They quickly arrived to the stairwell's end, and the door to the outside rested on their right, seemingly innocent.

Escape.

_Thank God._

Danny tried to fling open the emergency exit but found that it was locked. "Aw, come on!" he growled, frustrated. This couldn't be happening. Not again…

He stepped away, eyes darting. Sam and Valerie quickly looked around for something to use as a battering ram. But then, as they realized there was nothing, no fire extinguisher, no convenient lead pipes, Danny took five steps back. They couldn't hesitate any longer.

Then, the male rammed himself into the door, and the entire threshold shook. He did it again without hesitation; some strange grating sound echoed into the small hall. He grimaced in pain as he rolled back his shoulder, testing to see if was still there.

The lock had bent with the weight, and the inner mechanisms keeping the door shut cracked. With one, deep breath, he rammed his bruised shoulder into the door once more.

Thirty seconds.

Haphazardly, the poor door flung open, and it slammed onto the brick walls. Two out of three hinges broke under the strain; Danny could have cared less. He quickly shoved Sam and Valerie out the door and followed up behind.

"We've gotta get away," Danny mumbled under his breath, glancing up at the building. How big would the blast range be? How much shrapnel would fly? His eyes locked onto Sam's, and she nodded her head. Valerie sharply inhaled before steeling her gaze with determination, holding her bullet wound with her free hand.

She could do this.

Three agents quickly stumbled their way to the tree-lined sidewalks, cursing and heavily breathing in one last ditch attempt to escape.

The moment they made it across the street, an unnatural silence wafted from the entire block.

…Two…

…_one._

Suddenly, the building erupted into an explosion of fire.

Windows blasted from their panes, and the metal surrounding it glowed orange. Instantly, it melted. The burning inferno raised to greater heights, greater temperatures.

The three agents watched with widened eyes.

Then, as the initial blast turned to raging fire, Valerie collapsed against a tree trunk, sliding down into the mud. She grimaced, but she afterwards sighed. It was only a bullet. It was only her father's organization. It was only her best dress she'd ever owned.

Other than that, she felt pretty damn good.

Valerie suddenly realized that she was still holding onto her gun in a death grip, one that would rival anyone with the unfortunate symptoms of Rigor Mortis, and she unlocked her fingers from the trigger.

She was safe. Help would come. Not to mention that she was out of bullets anyways…

* * *

Meanwhile, cold, night air wafted over Sam's skin like ice, and she shivered. In comparison to the building, the outside was like the Artic Circle. When had it gotten so cold? Aftershock tears burned her eyes, and she tried to blink them away.

Stupid emotions.

_I almost died. _A strange type of distant denial came over her, but she fought it down, even as her tears came back. _I can't believe it…_

_I almost __**died**__._

Sam felt a protective arm wrap around her waist and draw her closer. With shaking hands, Danny lightly touched his fingers to the side of her face, and he gently caressed her cheek. "Sam," he whispered. His blue eyes searched her's. "Are you okay?"

And Sam nodded. It was all she _could_ do. Danny pulled her into a tight embrace, and she found herself returning it. His warmth was almost…inviting, unlike the cold night. "I'm glad," he breathed in her ear. "I was kinda scared for you back there."

Her eye's widened, and something burned behind them at his confession. _Scared? _She wondered_… for me?_

No one had ever been afraid for her.

An unbidden tear streaked the soot smeared on her cheek. "D-Danny…" She hugged him tightly in return, and she closed her eyes. For the first time, she felt safe. In his arms. And somewhere within, her cold black heart broke, just a little, to bleed red for the first time in years.

She tried to fight back a wave of emotion, but she couldn't. A fuzzy, bubbly feeling tingled through her entire body, and she recognized the emotion.

_Love._

Danny released her, a lopsided smile on his face.

"Hey, lovebirds!" Valerie called out. Her expression was caught between amusement and disgust. "Look up

Then, something caught her attention. It was up in the sky, and it was flying towards them. She squinted her eyes in curiosity, sharpening her vision to clearly see the object.

It was a helicopter.

"Oh, thank God," Sam breathed in relief. With a shaking hand, she pointed out the helicopter, and its CIA emblem. "Looks like help!" Danny followed the direction of her hand, and his eyes landed on the helicopter as well.

A great smile lit his face, and even Valerie limped over to the two. "We might not die after all," she said dryly. But the twitch of lips gave away her true feelings. The three backed away from the clearing

Yet the moment it touched land, the agents noticed something off about the helicopter. The CIA emblem wasn't quite right, nor was there any recognizable plane number. The four men who jumped out were in entirely black, and they _definitely_ were no one that the agents recognized.

And suddenly, Sam realized her mistake. Her eyes widened. Her heart skipped a beat.

Fear gripped her.

The landed helicopter didn't belong to the CIA, and neither did the men surrounding them.

They were the serial killer's.

"Well, well," came a sophisticated, snobby remark. Steel blue eyes glared at them from within the darkness of the helicopter. Suddenly, he smiled.

"Look what the cat dragged in."

* * *

_Sorry for the long wait! I know I keep saying this, but…Well, it's kinda all I can say…:)_

**1.) Did this chapter have a generally good flow of words, or should I work more on my sentence structures? **

**2.) Are the characters interesting and, for the most part, still adding a fair share to the building of the plot?**

**3.) Are there any scenes or certain places in the chapter that seem out of place or slightly confusing? **

**4.) Is the point of view in this story choppy or awkward? Would it be better as a third-limited, or should I continue it in third-omniscient? **

**5.) Do the character's thoughts help along the chapter, or do they distract from it? **

_Thanks so much for reading, _

_Lightning Streak_

**Please Review!**


	14. Russian Roulette

_Disclaimer: Don't own DP._

_Yay! Finally! Another chappie! Thanks for all of the reviews, and I'm sorry _**jesska2014**, _that I didn't update sooner! I tried, but it just didn't work out. With any luck, I hope you still enjoy this late chapter. _

_Summary of earlier events: Valerie, Sam, and Danny barely escape from the Russian agency building before it explodes, and they soon find themselves tracked down by the serial killer. _

* * *

**Living On the Edge**

**Chapter 14: Russian Roulette **

* * *

Before they could react, they were surrounded. Everywhere-enemies. Everything-blurred. Fast.

And strangely enough, Danny's eyes flashed a dim green. As he lifted his gun, he let the first bullet fly. Five others met his challenge, and he quickly dodged out of the way. Pivoting, he fired at the serial killer.

A laugh. The bullet passed harmlessly through the killer's body, lodging itself in the steel beam behind him. _Cling! _The killer smiled happily and called out, "Daniel, when will you learn? Just because _you_ have lost _your _abilities does not mean _I _have!"

The serial killer seemed so…familiar…

_But why?_

In the blur of the moment, Valerie was captured by a lackey. She slammed her gun into his face, but when he fell, another took his place. Soon, three men had her pined. She lifted her head up, and suddenly her eyes widened. "Danny!" she cried out. "Look out!"

But it was too late.

One minion managed to distract him as the others surrounded him. A bullet. A turn too slow. Seven men roughly threw him to the concrete ground, twisting his arms behind him. His bones cracked painfully. His gun was ripped from his grasp, and they soon dragged up him into a standing position in front of the serial killer.

Defeat. Not enough time had passed for it to truly sink in.

But there was definitely enough for panic.

"As you can see, Daniel," the killer remarked smugly, "I have you outsmarted." The darkness hid his face from even the moonlight, but yet it seemed his steely blue eyes glowed. And Sam was safely standing behind the killer, perfectly untouched. Danny's gaze instantly crossed her's.

Their eyes locked, one in confusion, the other in pain. "Sam?" Anxious, he couldn't comprehend why she was with the serial killer. Unhindered by his lackeys. In danger, and yet safe. "…_What_ are you doing?" A horrible feeling overcame him, slinking like a snake up his spine, but he couldn't explain the reason.

A few of the minions snickered behind him. He knew he must have been a sight; dark blood from his split lip and nose dropped onto the concrete, and a purple bruise fanned out underneath his eye. He tried to jerk away from his captors, but their death grip on his arms only tightened.

Silence.

Regret poured from her eyes in unshed tears, but her stance was firm. "I had to, Danny," she whispered.

For a moment, he didn't understand.

And the serial killer laughed, motioning something with his hands. Danny's captor slammed something into his neck, and the weirdest feeling of paralysis overcame him. He couldn't fight it; his darkening heart screamed betrayal. His knees buckled. Lost unconsciousness…Confusion.

Realization.

The last thing he saw was the killer congratulating Sam for a job well done.

* * *

In that moment, something happened. Back at headquarters, the H.A. paced haphazardly. Something was wrong.

"What's going on?" he demanded. "Why can't we track them?"

One of the agents shook his head in bewilderment. "I'm not sure, sir." As he nervously typed on the keyboard, he admitted, "It appears their electronic signatures have been interrupted by something."

The H.A. scoffed. "Impossible. Electronic signatures can not be altered by _any _device known to man." His gaze, worried, narrowed. "Try harder to gauge their location."

At that moment, the agent peered closer at the screen. "Whoever they've encountered has no electronic signature, either." His eyebrows furrowed. "But that can't be right…" With another clack of the keys, a second scanner appeared.

Invisible lasers shot across every expanse of land and sea, precision and accuracy nearly infallible. A heat scanner. "_Searching…" _came its robotic voice.

"_Agents identified_." On the computer screen, the Russian map quickly magnified to another location, resolution deepening until the pixels detailed an abandoned street. "_Last signature-imprint location. Current location unavailable_."

But they weren't there.

The H.A. butted in. "Initiate advanced search for current location." In that instant, the outside lasers spun, infrared lights searing to another angle.

"_Advanced search initiated_."

"_No agent signature_." A moment passed in tense silence. "_Current location unavailable._"

Both agents frowned deeply. The H.A. tried another angle, "Initiate scanning for identifiable entities within ten mile radius." If perhaps he could get a hold of some Russian agents, they'd know where Danny and Sam were…

Unfortunately, it didn't quite work out so well.

"_Unnatural signature found_." The lasers spun once more, and the computer screen magnified to another section of the Russian city. Magnifying so fast, neither agent could track the location.

The Head Agent didn't like the sound. "Unnatural?" he whispered incredulously. The last time he'd heard that word was-

Suddenly, the computer frizzed into static, blurring the picture. The screen froze, and immediately the lesser agent attempted to rein control of the lasers. "_H-heat signature unidentifiable. Search t-terminated._"

"Uh, sir?" The agent realized the entire computer was frozen. "I can't access the lasers. Something's messing with them."

He tried again. "_Search t-terminated_." And again. "_S-search t-terminated…_" The robotic voice deepened an entire octave, and the outside lasers shut down from the strain.

H.A. peered closely at the screen, noting the strange, unnatural wave patterns of the magnified picture. Dark, dark blue. Cold.

Unnatural. Inhuman.

Then something hit him, and his eyes widened in recognition. "Oh _no_…"

Suddenly, everything was clear. And it wasn't pretty.

* * *

Time passed. He wasn't sure how much, but he knew it was a lot. Where was Valerie? Where was Sam?

By the time the pain awoke him, Danny knew something was very wrong. He stifled a groan as every wakening breath hurt. Some foreboding whispered fears in his mind as he realized he was tied down to a chair. Pain.

"Ahh, Daniel," came that snake-like voice. Vlad. "I'm pleased you're finally awake."

Now he remembered. _Vlad_.

Eyes widening, shock hit him full force. _Vlad?! _Against the pain, he sharply turned his head, only to see his worst fear.

His old partner.

For a moment, he was too shocked to speak. His mouth moved up and down in silent words, none of which made complete sense. Shock. Betrayal. Anger.

"Where's Sam and Valerie?" Danny hoarsely demanded, unable to hide the anxious exhaustion in his voice. Disoriented, he looked around. He didn't recognize the place. "Where am I?"

_What the __**hell**__ is going on?_

"What, no 'hello?'" Vlad's voice, snide and snobbish, mocked fake injury. He brightened the lights in the small room to the discomfort of Danny, watching in satisfaction as the agent squinted to see. "Surely, I thought you would remember me."

Tense silence.

"_You're_ the serial killer." Somewhere between an incredulous question and a statement, Danny couldn't quite grasp that it was his old, _crime-fighting _partner. He also couldn't quite grasp that Sam had defected to _his_ side.

Something was very, very wrong.

And yet, his comment brought a twisted smirk to Vlad's lips. "So glad the hit to your head didn't affect your ability to problem solve."

Danny attempted to fight his bonds, but found he couldn't. He looked up at Vlad, gaze harsh and quickly darkening. "Tell me what's going on. Where's Sam? What are you trying to do?" His voice, no longer rough with lingering unconsciousness, could ice even flames.

Ignoring the agent's questions, Vlad smiled an evil smile. "How about," he suggested casually, "a game?" Danny tensely tracked the madman's actions as he turned to one of the drawers beside him. Gently, carefully, he pulled out a black carrying case. He set it on the interrogator's table, right beside where Danny was cuffed to the chair. And lovingly, he entered the code on the side of the box. "I'll tell you right now that you can't win against me."

Spring loaded, it opened.

A black, seven-chambered barrel revolver laid within blood velvet.

Chills spiraled down Danny's spine. He knew this game. He feared this game. And Vlad knew it.

"Ever heard of Russian Roulette?" Vlad inquired curiously. Then, he added, "You should. _I _was the one who first explained it to you." He picked up the gun as if it were a child, loving and familiar. Then, he placed the end of the gun at Danny's temple.

And as he pressed down on the trigger, the barrel of the gun turned. Danny closed his eyes.

_Click._

The bullet chamber was empty.

"What is Sam to you, I wonder?" Vlad said airily. He pressed the trigger again.

_Click. _

Danny's heart skipped a beat, and he tried not to show it.

But Vlad didn't seem phased at all. His tone was calm and curious, almost as if he were chatting over coffee. He wasn't in a hurry to kill Danny. "She's your partner, I know that much." His steel blue eyes flickered to meet Danny's own hardened gaze. "But what else is she to you?" His steel gaze melted into a river of fiery ice. "Is she your _friend_?"

_Click. _

Four bullet chambers left.

Danny didn't answer, and he stared ahead at the wall. Tight-lipped. Eyes hard.

"Well, surely she couldn't be a friend!" Vlad admonished his ponderings lightly. "She _betrayed_ you after all." The serial killer clicked his tongue in sadness. "Friends don't betray friends." His gaze suddenly flared in a momentary lapse of anger, and his fang-like teeth bared. "Just like how partners don't betray partners, right?"

The agent visibly winced.

Vlad, however, calmed down after a moment, and smiled that maniacal, demented smile once again. "But Sam means more to you than just being a partner, isn't that right Daniel m'boy?" Vlad pressed a little harder on the trigger, his knuckles white in contrast from his skin. Slowly, the barrel turned once more.

"She means the world to you, isn't that right? You _love_ her, don't you? You wish she was _yours_, don't you?" With every word, Vlad punctuated his sentence a little harsher. His lip curled up in disgust and triumph. "But her loyalties are with _me_."

_Click._

Three chambers.

Danny's heart suddenly wished for the bullet. His resolve was fading.

He knew Vlad's words were true.

"_She_," Vlad declared with a demented triumph, "doesn't love _you_!" He laughed at his own game. "She'd rather betray you than defy me. She'd rather leave you for the dogs than help you with your miserable little life," he gleefully rubbed salt in the wound. "And yet, you. _Still_. Love. Her."

_Click._

"Hurts," Vlad whispered, his voice barely above a breath, "doesn't it?" He sighed in distant thought.

Danny's eyes lowered a fraction of an inch, but it was enough that Vlad caught it, and he exploited it ruthlessly.

"I despise you," he told Danny. "You stole my job, my position, my _identity_ as the best CIA agent in the field." He narrowed his eyes. "I was tossed the moment I completed your training. I was forgotten when you went solo.

"You betrayed me. Your _mother_ betrayed me," Vlad added distantly, and then his features twisted. "And she was supposed to love _me_; you were supposed to be _my _son…"

"Everyone I thought of as family betrayed me, in the end." He had lost his mind to grief and anger. For a moment, Danny felt guilty for contributing to that. But not for long.

Then, Vlad laughed. "And now, your own circumstances are as bad as mine!" _Finally_, his evil heart breathed. He leaned over at eye-level to face Danny with his smirk. "Isn't it just _tragic_?" he whispered happily. "You'll die for your lady love, who, by the way, will be _dying_ to tell you just how passionate her hate is." He paused.

"What a happy ever after," Vlad concluded. He looked down at his gun and smiled. "Isn't this a wonderful game?"

Danny glared at him, tight-lipped. But his blue eyes had faded in color, as if his soul were dampened. His posture slouched; he no longer fought his bonds. Small rivulets of bloods stained his wrists from his chaffed skin; he couldn't feel the pain. He wondered if he would even feel the bullet.

After all, what was the point in living if you couldn't love who you wanted to?

He was defeated, just by that fact.

"Sam _hates_ you right now," Vlad whispered to him, feeding him lies. "Just like how your mother hated me." His finger pressed against the trigger. "The game's almost done, Daniel." He smiled. "I'm winning."

Two chambers.

Danny knew his luck had finally run its course.

He knew time had run out.

Vlad jabbed the end of the gun at Danny's temple, and the agent involuntarily shivered. The cold metal chilled his entire being, almost like ice. Unfeeling. His mind pulsed with the thought.

"Goodbye, Daniel," Vlad jeered softly. His icy eyes flamed to a hellish red. "Give your mother my regards."

* * *

_You know, I find it amazing that I nearly forgot about this story. :( I've had some english projects lately which required me to write on broad subjects, and it cured my Writer's Block for me to type up this chapter. I hope you like it, even though it's severely late. (Again.)_

_Finished: Friday, November 7, 2008 at 5:17 P.M_

_Inspiration: English TicTacToe assignment. Oh, and "Woman King" by Iron and Wine. Amazing band. _

**1.) Thoughts on plot? **

**2.) Opinion of characters? Characterization okay? Placement? Characters' thoughts?**

**3.) Scene transitions?**

**4.) Overall writing effect?**

**5.) Anything else? :P**

_At the risk of sounding like a post card, I've really missed you guys lately! I know I haven't been on Fanfiction half as much as I was over the summer, but with any luck now that my major school concerts are over, I might have some extra time. :) I'm trying to keep my profile updated with what I'm working on between updates. _

_Thank you all for reading, _

_Lightning Streak_

**Please Review? :D**


	15. Hydrogen Heartbeat

_Disclaimer: No own._

_Because of all the reviews and support I've gotten, I tried as hard as I could to get this chapter out quickly. Thank you all so much!_

* * *

**Living On the Edge**

**Chapter 15: Hydrogen Heartbeat**

* * *

He slowly pressed down on the trigger, and the barrel began to turn…

Suddenly, _bam! _The door slammed open, and in stumbled Sam. "Don't kill him!" she called out, panicked, voice bouncing off the warehouse walls. Vlad looked up. He didn't have time to react.

The business end of Sam's .44 colt was pointed between his eyes. The girl was crying, but her gaze had never been so hateful. Her stance against him was strong, defiant. "Don't kill him, or I'll kill you."

Vlad's eyes slithered up to meet her's, and he suddenly smiled genially. "Sam!" he welcomed, not even acknowledging her threat. "So glad you could make it!" He momentarily lifted his finger from the trigger of his gun and swung it away from Danny's temple.

Danny lifted a haunted, disbelieving gaze to Sam, and when Sam locked her eyes on him, she bit her lip. So many words to say… "Trust me," she whispered in apology, voice wavering.

It was the hardest thing, to stare into Danny's eyes. Her heart pulled with unnamed emotions, searing to her soul's core. "Please, Danny…"

His hardened, blue eyes stared deep into her own, dark with mistrust. His hands clenched tightly around his bonds. _How can I_? He asked her silently. _After throwing me to the dogs…_

Vlad gave her a curious stare. "Are you betraying me, Samantha?" he commented casually. For a second, it seemed he was thrown off balance, although not by much. "I must say, you picked an interesting time to break down my door." He smiled snidely, twisting his features. "You were almost too late."

Sam inhaled shakily, understanding everything that was at risk by her actions. Vlad could easily kill her, just as he could Danny. And if she killed Vlad, then all of his lackeys would quickly track her down.

She hardened her gaze. She maintained her aim. "I'm not kidding, Vlad. I don't care what you do to me, but you will _not_ kill Danny."

Vlad's snide smile faltered into a frown. "You would do well to not demand anything of me, dear." The frown flattened into a grim smirk, narrowed eyes. "I still hold a trump card that you could never possess."

With strength and speed unknown to humans, Vlad suddenly knocked the gun away from his face- _Bam! _it shot off_- _and quickly twisted out of the way.

Danny's gaze suddenly tore from Sam to Vlad, eyes wide with realization. _Oh no…_

Sam, clearly surprised by the sudden change of status quo, hesitated.

Suddenly, time stopped. Her heart stopped. Her mind stopped.

She froze in absolute shock.

Unnatural rings of some energy surrounded Vlad at the waist, dark and blacker than anything Sam had ever seen. How was he doing that? Was it a weapon?

Then the rings moved upwards, and they transformed Vlad into something that sent chills up Sam's spine. Her eyes widened. "Oh my God…"

Her grip on the gun slipped, and it clattered to the floor in shock. Words eluded her; she was nearly speechless.

"…The hell _are_ you?"

Vlad smirked in satisfaction, fangs poking out of corners of his lips. Demonic, red eyes drank in her fear like a drug. "What?" he called out. "Never seen a ghost before, Samantha?" He lifted his hand, and a bright ectoplasmic blast shot past her. A warning. "Hmm, no answer. Cat got your tongue, my dear?"

Sam's mouth moved up and down in silent words, but she couldn't figure out how to say them. She didn't know what to do. Her jaw was dropped.

And when she turned to face Danny, she was startled to see _he_ wasn't shocked.

Instead, the male agent grinded his teeth in anger. His blue eyes flashed menacingly. "Vlad, you're taking this too far…" _Don't involve Sam in this…Please, don't involve her…_

'_**If you expose me, then you expose yourself…'**_

Vlad's head snapped to Danny, body soon following. "My boy, you were the one who started it all!"

The vampire-like ghost suddenly glowed with a dark purple aura, and as he looked down at Sam, an unearthly chill shook her frame. "You can not defeat me, Samantha," he told her, smiling. "Just as Daniel couldn't."

Sam never took her eyes off of him as she leaned down to get her gun. Slowly, her fingertips clanged onto the barrel. She picked it up, and in a blur, she pulled the trigger.

Vlad phased out, and the bullet clanged into the metal wall.

His face reappeared, darkened by shadow and triumph. "Human weapons are obsolete against _me_."

And for the first time in her life, she found herself completely powerless against the enemy.

* * *

Danny struggled against his bonds, desperation fueling every last heartbeat. Something was pulling from within, as he watched Sam attempt to fight Vlad. He didn't care if she was a double agent or not.

In the end, he knew she was with him.

_Ba-dum…ba-dum…ba-dum. _

His heart began to race faster. His breathing accelerated. He didn't know why.

_Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Ba-dum._

Cold sweat broke out along his temples; something from within twisted and turned. He grimaced. _Ba-dum! Dum! Dum! _His veins throbbed with a pulsation, far deeper than human blood.

Strange words, thoughts, and dialects filled his ears. An involuntary jerk from within made him sharply inhale. _Gotta…protect…Sam. _Vision swimming, heart beating erratically, he couldn't breathe. His fists clenched in pain, knuckles turning white.

_Sam…!_

Pain lacing through every fiber of his being, he didn't realize what was happening until his heart completely stopped, and he breathed in an awakening and a death all its own. His DNA shifted.

_Ba_…_**dum. **_

Vlad whispered something in Sam's ear that made her jerk away from him in absolute fear. Purple energy surrounded her before she could escape.

Suddenly, Danny looked up.

From underneath his dark bangs, his eyes glowed green. And his lips were twisted into a snarl.

"_Get away from her_."

His voice, an unearthly growl, echoed from every corner.

Vlad quickly spun around to see Danny phasing through his ropes. His jaw dropped. "Daniel?" His demonic eyes were wide, frightened. He knew exactly what was happening. "B-but…but you're not a ghost… How? You lost your ability to change years ago!" He seemed honestly unsettled, and he hesitated in the air.

The boy's other side had been called from its dormancy.

Danny stood up, disoriented from the sudden power burst, but his determination to not lose it overrode every weakness. His emerald eyes narrowed in concentration, anger. With every ounce of energy he contained, he held onto his forgotten link and transformed.

A type of euphoric intensity overcame him. And it felt _good._

Sam looked to see; her eyes widened once more. Two bright, blue rings shot from Danny's waist and traveled the length of his body. In place of his tux, a streamlined, black jumpsuit. Shock white hair. Emerald eyes. An insignia she would know anywhere. _No way…_

Her eyes echoed awe and fear. Her heart jumped to her throat. "Danny Phantom…"

And suddenly, all of those strange weapons and secretiveness about his past clicked into place. It left Sam completely winded. Her grip on the gun loosened.

Danny inhaled deeply, body reconnecting with a long dormant power, realigning with two dimensions. As he reopened his eyes, the world suddenly grew sharper with superhuman abilities. He spiraled up into the air with a sonic boom.

For one blur, the two ghosts disappeared.

_Crash!_

The entire building shook as Danny harshly slammed Vlad into the wall. No words, just raw emotion. Fury. The older ghost quickly retaliated, evasively escaping multiple blasts. Sam noticed the dent in the wall and winced.

It hadn't even phased Vlad.

She looked down at her weapon and realized that she'd entered an entire new level of fighting.

"You'll have to do better than that, Daniel!" Vlad called out, searching for weaknesses. Danny still hadn't used his power for so long… In a desperate attempt to fully realign with it, Danny unleashed everything he had.

Pivot. Spiral. _Attack_.

Danny shot an ectoplasmic blast. Vlad absorbed it and back lashed it back. The younger ghost avoided the attack, and ice stormed from his fingertips. Vlad's hands shot up, and a bright purple shield surrounded him. The ice crystallized around the barrier, and it cracked into a million prisms, raining to the floor.

Sam threw her arms over her head to shield herself from the impact.

Like a broken chandelier, the ice sheared everywhere.

Then, silence.

"You've improved, Daniel," Vlad commented appreciatively. "Even without powers." As he repositioned himself, he added, "Perhaps this will be a fair fight after all."

For one wild moment, they were equals.

Their power clashed in the air like savage claws; shrieking metal. In a flashing, epileptic array of energy, streaks of light blasted every corner. Explosions. Blurs of light. Sam tried to shield her eyes from it, but to no avail.

_I need to help_, she mentally coached herself. Her violet eyes darted off the walls, searching for something. _I've gotta help… _She risked a glance up at Danny, then at Vlad. _I can't just take this like a damsel in distress. _

_Never mind that the two people I thought I knew just changed into something definitely __**not **__human… _She swallowed hard and tried to overlook the fact.

From her spot in the corner, she began weaving around the melting ice and broken beams. Within the large warehouse, multiple lab cabinets existed. She immediately began searching for more appropriate weapons. Surely, there had to be a ghost weapon somewhere.

And above her search were the awful sounds of the battle. Impacts that would instantly kill a human being reverberated off steal beams, denting even the toughest metal.

Clash. Turn. Blast.

By pure chance, a particular ray of fire purple singed Danny's shoulder, burning both jumpsuit and skin. He didn't flinch and instead retaliated with something of the same caliber. Vlad was slowing down.

"Give it up, old man," Danny commented. He smirked, a bit regretfully. "You can't keep this up." In mere strength, he knew he had Vlad beat, and Vlad knew this as well.

But then Vlad smiled brightly, genuinely. "That's what you _think_, my boy." He pulled out some black device and pressed the button before it even dawned on Phantom to dodge.

Huge, searing lasers of the deepest red shot from the walls themselves, and all stormed to Danny's form. He turned to see, and his eyes widened. He couldn't escape. Too fast. It blasted from every side-it jerked him unmercifully.

Suddenly, Danny froze.

The lasers flickered away, and then so did his ability to fly.

Unable to control his power, he fell from the air and slammed down onto the hard concrete. The floor cracked and rumbled from his harsh fall. Pain.

"Danny!" Sam gasped, and without even thinking, she ran for him.

He curled in on himself, unnatural power coursing through his body. Electrical current. "S-stay back…!" he whispered hoarsely. The agent didn't know what was happening. He didn't want Sam to get hurt. His fingertips dug into the floor, shaking.

"But, Danny, I-!"

His green eyes, wild with fear, locked on hers. "-Stay _back_!"

Vlad chuckled darkly. "Your greatest strength, Daniel, is also your Achilles' heel." He twisted the device in his grasp, smiling. "You always have friends willing to help, whether they realize it or not." As Danny attempted to get back up, Vlad pressed the button one more time. Sam cried out.

Phantom collapsed to the ground, unable to fight. He couldn't think; couldn't breathe. A horrible mix of ectoplasmic blood and human blood trailed from his lips. In the rush of the moment, he didn't hear Sam screaming his name.

Dark shadows blurred into his vision, and he thought he saw Sam running for him, her voice angrily echoing…

"What did you do to him?!"

Vlad quickly caught her elbow before she could get too close.

"Girl," the elder ghost growled in her ear, "you are becoming more trouble than you're worth." He roughly shoved her to the ground. "You helped to bring him here; why do you now retaliate?"

She desperately reached for her gun; he shot it out of the way and unfeelingly threw her backwards into the wall. _Crack! _Her spine connected with the metal, and she cried out. An awful pain seared across her back as she slid to the floor.

Desperately grasping for something, _anything_, as a weapon, Sam felt her vision darken. _No…! _Her fingertips clawed against the concrete. She _had_ to stay awake.

At her cry, Danny's mind couldn't focus on himself. His intense eyes blazed with fire as he glared at Vlad. "Don't you _dare_ hurt her!" he raggedly yelled to the older ghost. In that instant, his form blurred like a bullet towards Vlad. Anger powered his energy.

An inch within reaching Vlad's neck, the lasers locked on Phantom's form, knocking the breath from his lungs. Lightning bolts of raw power swam over his skin, even as his flight faltered one last time.

Vlad laughed and caught Danny's limp wrist before the boy fell. "How does it feel to know you've lost?" he asked rhetorically, rubbing salt in the wound. His expression hardened in some mix of madness and betrayal.

He threw Danny to the ground, the force deepening the crack of the concrete. Danny's ribs screamed; darkness swam in his vision. He sharply inhaled at the feeling of blood rushing up his throat.

Vlad drank in the sight of the fallen ghost, lips curling in happy sadism. "How exciting that pure strength is obsolete to intelligence." He tauntingly twirled the device in his palm.

Vision blurring, Danny narrowed his eyes to see the device. He recognized it instantly. "The H-hydrogen sulfidate…" Something cold chilled his spine.

Vlad nodded, approving. "It is said direct contact with it will kill anyone." He smiled. "How strange that a magnetized version of it inhibits ghost power."

Danny's hope sank; his expression seethed betrayal.

"You've just been shot with a laser magnification of it's particles." He shrugged. "It may not kill you, but if it doesn't,_ I _certainly will." With any luck you'll be maimed.

The young ghost's anger flared with those words as the electric shocks suddenly deepened. "_Traitor_," he seethed breathlessly, holding his side. He spat his blood on the floor, just above where Vlad floated.

Vlad's eyes glared a deeper red. "Me? Daniel, you were not the one who the world rejected." For one brief second, genuine hurt swept across his face. It was gone as quickly as it had come. "If anything, _you_ should be called, 'traitor.'" He flickered his gaze down. "Or perhaps dear Samantha here is a better definition."

Still disoriented from the prior hit, Sam couldn't run away. Her wild eyes locked with Vlad's, and instantly she knew what was to happen.

Danny's entire body jerked towards her to save her. But he was too slow.

Purple energy shearing from Vlad's hands to quickly encircle the girl before she could escape. It tangled her into something like a cage. She cried out in fear, but her voice was torn with anger as well. Violet eyes flashed in defiance against the elder ghost. "I'm the traitor? _You_ killed my parents, Vlad, and then blackmailed me to be your lackey," she called up to him, voice rough with pain. "How much of a traitor does that make _you_?"

His lips twisted into a sneer. "A rather productive one." He cinched off the cage. "Now, if we're done with the traditional name calling and childish banter, what do we say to the final declaration?" His hand suddenly glowed bright, so very bright that it ignited even his claws.

Danny tried to fire another blast, but the energy flickered and died in his palm. His strength pulled unnaturally from within him, cutting into his reserves. He tried again. No blast.

Vlad chuckled with a warped happiness, but his twisted mind soon gave way to almost a type of remorse.

"It is quite regrettable that you must die, Daniel," he mourned half-heartedly. "I truly had plans for you, I really did! To rule…" But he shook his head, and glanced down at Danny like a disappointed father. "In your state, however, you are unworthy."

And with that, his hands glowed brighter, gathering strength and power. It would take a lot to permanently take down _the_ Danny Phantom, _the _thorn in his side. And oh, he couldn't wait.

The power reflected darkly in his red eyes, shining off pearly fangs.

* * *

Pounding against the barrier, Sam shouted for Vlad to let her out. Panicked, afraid for Danny, and absolutely powerless, she had no idea what to do. But anything would be better than being caged. Anything would be better.

She winced as her spine gave a painful pull. But she didn't care about herself.

Instead, her violet eyes couldn't leave Danny's vulnerable form. He was on his hands and knees, desperately struggling to stand. He brushed the blood from his lips with one jerky movement. He looked up at Vlad, white hair lifted by the unnatural wind. It flew into his green, defiant eyes.

"_Do your worst, Vlad_," The ghost challenged, voice raspy from his pain. Anything to keep Vlad's attention away from Sam.

She had to have time to escape.

The elder ghost narrowed his eyes, and replied in a dialect only ghosts could understand, "_Oh, I will_." And the entire air around them twisted into darkness, all things light and pure drained away. Vlad vowed, "I will make you pay for forgetting me!"

Danny's emerald eyes met Sam's, and she pressed her hand up against the barrier. Even with the jumpsuit, the flickering aura, and his altered appearance, all Sam could see was _him. _Just him.

"Danny," she whispered, anxious and terrified. "Come on; get up! _Please_!" She didn't care that he'd lied; she didn't care if he was human or not. She wanted him to live. "You know you can still fight!"

But the young ghost, a friend and a stranger all at once, inhaled softly, shakily. Even the smallest movement tore pain through his ribs, and he grimaced. The hydrogen sulfidate had taken its toll. Gasping, he fell to the ground for the last time, concrete unfeeling. "_I c-can't…_"

In the blur of seconds, time was lost. Too fast and too slow, every connection to the world itself was lost upon the three. Vlad unleashed his power with a triumphant laugh.

Bright, seething energy slammed into Danny. A terrible, agonizing cry ripped the air. Sam screamed.

And then, suddenly, the electricity went out.

Darkness.

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_..._

_Well, my brain is pretty fried, but I defeated my Writer's Block! Yay! Hopefully once and for all, but I'm no miracle worker. :) In any case, I hope this chapter lived up to par considering its rushed update. I had a few problems with character view transitions, so if you see those, then that's my current writing vice. :) _

_Over the past few weeks, I've been revising and editing previous chapters to match my current writing style. _

**1.) How was this chapter's flow of words? Too rushed, too slow? Understandable? **

**2.) How was the chapter's plot? Did it keep your attention?**

**3.) How was the characterization of the people involved? Believable? **

**4.) Any visible plot holes or places of major error?**

**5.) Any other comments? :)**

_Thanks guys so much for all the support, constructive criticism, and patience with my horrible updating skills! I'm really trying hard to bring this story back to life (it's been gathering dust for so long), and I'm hoping to complete it by the end of the year. This is gonna be kinda hard for me, but I figure I owe it to all you readers._

_Chapter Finished: Friday, November 14, 2008 at 6:30 P.M. _

_Inspiration: "Brother" by Dark New Day. _

_Thank you all for reading, _

_Lightning Streak_

**Please Review and tell me what you think! :)**


	16. Battle Royale

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Disclaimer: Don't own DP.

_I want to thank those people who reviewed, and I also want to thank all who read the story. :P Just think, the story's over half way done! _

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**Living On the Edge**

**Chapter 16: Battle Royale**

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The blast of power warped around Danny's entire body, leeching the energy from every molecule. Unable to fight, he cried out in pain. No room to think; no room to calculate how long the blast would take, how long until he died.

Fire tearing his insides apart…His eyes unfocused, and his lungs breathed in the purple fire.

But suddenly, something happened. An invisible shield crashed up against the power, overriding it. Sonic explosion and rushing wind. The whole room twisted into darkness. The electricity shorted.

And he blacked out.

* * *

Time ticked by, unheeded by the silent warehouse. It was twilight out, and the stars shined in through the barred windows. As he came to, Danny fought to remain unconscious. The searing green glow around him irritated his eyes, prompting him to awake.

Slowly, his body repaired itself. His glow flickered in and out until it finally stabilized back to a healthy white. Danny's eyes opened a slit as he woke up, and he unleashed a deep groan of pain. He rested his head against the cold concrete, gasping quietly. Until suddenly…

A voice from within the barrier. "Yo, Danny! When am I gonna hafta quit covering your ass for ya?" Momentarily disoriented, Danny couldn't understand what was going on.

But he knew that voice anywhere. "…_Tucker_?" Lifting an exhausted, worn gaze upwards, Danny's eyes landed on the barrier around him. It was electromagnetic and glowing, faint with binary code.

As Tucker spoke again, wave lengths garbled the code. "I leave you for what? Three weeks? And I come back to find you killing yourself?" He added, "Nice look, by the way. Kinda missed the whole ghost thing."

The entire warehouse was so silent.

Danny breathed deeply as intense relief washed through him. _Oh thank God. _Tucker had saved him. If he'd been exposed to Vlad's ultimate power for much longer…"Thanks. Where're you at? When'd you come out of your coma?" He gulped down a lungful of air, attempting to re-stabilize himself.

He could almost see Tucker shrug. "At the CIA. Woke up two days ago. Just came back from a check up, actually, and saw your butt getting kicked based off Vlad's ghost levels alone." He rolled his eyes. "Guy really needs anger management. Or a cat."

Danny looked at the barrier. "How are you doing this?" he whispered in awe.

"Well, you know those samples of your blood we took years ago?" the hacker tried to explain. "Funny thing. I added it to the rest of my Hydrogen Sulfidate, and I accidentally recreated a tech-version of your powers. You're currently in a time warp for me to be able to do this." Tucker's short attention span kicked in. "Do you know how much faster this software makes my computer?"

The ghost's eyebrows crunched. "But that doesn't make sense," he muttered as he attempted to stand. "Hydrogen Sulfidate _inhibits _ghost power…" He coughed weakly. "I would know."

"Ah, but not when its in ionic form." He could hear the glee in Tucker's voice. "It heightens it. Vlad actually stole the failed sample of one of my experiments."

"But how are you able to control a _barrier_ from the U.S.?"

"I've got control of the _entire_ warehouse," Tucker bragged. "The CIA's ultra sonic lasers are heightened with my new HS software, so they're ghost proof _and_ reliable. I can do whatever I want."

With a groan, Danny finally stood up, and the electromagnetic barrier flickered out. Time sped back up.

"Just tell me what to do, like always." Tucker grimaced. "Problem is, I don't got a lot of this stored up, and the lasers guzzle HS worse than a monster truck eating gasoline."

Danny snorted. "Of course."

"So you okay?" Tucker asked worriedly.

"I should be asking you that," Danny replied guiltily. "I'll be okay. Sorry we left you behind."

"No hard feelings. But if you ever do it again, you might not come back in one piece. You can't survive without a trusty hacker." From headquarters, Tucker monitored Vlad's current position. "I beamed out Vlad to another location. He should be waking up from the effects by now."

Danny smiled, lips twitching at his best friend's concern. "Okay, Mommy. Can I move out now?"

Tucker sighed. "Like you need _my_ permission." He turned to his heat scanner and frowned. There, on the far wall was a heat signature of female body…For some reason, coldness slithered down Tucker's spine. "Uh, hey Danny? Who's the girl?" He typed in a general diagnostic and quickly discerned the person was unconscious. "I think she might have been affected by the blast."

Indefinable fright gripped his heart. Danny's eyes suddenly widened. "Sam!" _Oh God…!_

"Whoa, whoa, wait: That's _Sam_?"

A bit unstable and physically drained, it was all Danny could do to walk. "Yeah," Danny grimaced, worry mounting. He refused to believe that he sounded desperate. "Can you read anything? A signature? Health stat?"

"Vlad's energy must have blocked her heat signature from my lasers… I didn't know she was here, otherwise I would've covered her too!" Tucker's teal eyes suddenly darkened in concern. "Uh, Danny, I don't know what the effect this kind of HS is on humans."

Something akin to fear chilled the ghost's spine. "You don't _know_?" he choked out the words. Against every screaming muscle, he ran through the dark shadows. "Tell me where she is, now!"

"Southern wall, about fifty paces to your right."

Quickly turning, Danny mustered enough energy to spiral up into flight, superhuman eyes searing through the darkness. There, collapsed against the wall, flickering vapors of purple energy smoking up into the air, was Sam.

Danny's dead heart flopped.

_Oh God. _

In absolute terror, he stormed to her. "Sam!" he called out. Something in his voice caught painfully in his throat.

She was lying awkwardly against the wall, as if she'd been thrown. Remnants of Vlad's power pulsed around her. Danny's ghostly glow illuminated her features, blood trailing from her temple.

Carefully, he knelt beside her and took her broken body into his arms. "Sam?" he whispered fearfully. His voice cracked with sadness. "Sam? Come on; wake up!"

His concern for her overruled anything and everything. In that moment, he realized she fit perfectly against him. Her body was so easy to hold. His superhuman hearing picked up the weak beat of her heart, her shallow breathing.

She was still alive. Tucker's HS compound had only knocked her unconscious. _Thank God…_

And slowly, she came to. He cradled her like a porcelain doll, afraid to let her go.

When she opened her eyes, she was met with the comforting glow of Danny. Like an angel. "…Danny?" she whispered, almost in disbelief. After everything that had happened, was he really still there? Her dilated eyes focused on his own, and in her disoriented state, she didn't realize she was in his arms until she felt him pull her closer.

"Don't worry," he whispered to her, in her ear. His voice seemed so unearthly to her, echoing with the dialects of a thousand languages to her human ears. "I'll come back for you." He gently kissed her forehead, where her skin had been cut. Almost immediately, it healed.

"But-"

He kissed Sam's lips as he leaned her tired body comfortably against the wall, effectively silencing her protests. Shocking energy coursed from his mouth to hers. Energy transfer. In her exhausted state, she needed it.

_I'll be okay. _And when he pulled away from her, his lips lingered against hers far too long to be only an energy transfer. "I'll explain everything later," he whispered. She looked at him with something akin to wonder and frustration, and…something else…

She merely nodded and leaned her head against the wall, and he stood up.

Then he materialized into the air itself.

* * *

Phantom pulled something from within his jumpsuit. It was an ear device, hidden away. He locked it onto his ear and began searching for Tucker's frequency.

"Tuck, you copy?"

Immediately, the crackling died down, and his best friend echoed in his ear. "Yep, I copy. I always copy. All I ever _do_ is copy." As Danny flew from out of the warehouse room, he smirked a bit. It was time to end this. And this time, _nothing_ could stop him. "Is Sam okay?"

"She's alive," Danny replied, admittedly with a sigh of relief and a flop of his heart. "I want you to keep track of her, though. Her vitals weren't very good; I had to transfer some of my energy."

He could almost feel Tucker's smirky smile. "Oh really? Was it mouth-to-mouth CPR or something?"

Rolling his eyes, Danny avoided the question and instead demanded, "Tell me where Vlad is."

"Well, give me a sec to find his coordinates."

"Oh, and Tuck?" Danny added, emerald eyes turbulent with some sort of emotion. "This time, don't interfere."

The sounds of typing suddenly stopped. Hesitation. Then comprehension. "…Okay."

* * *

Deep within the center of the warehouse's network, a figure shakily steadied himself. His claws dug into the side of a metal machine, rasping for air. "Impossible," came a breathless voice. Slowly, Vlad became stronger, quickly recovering. "Absolutely _impossible_."

Images burned into his mind told of an alien source of power, unlike anything he'd every seen. Some sort of barrier, back lashing everything…

He slammed a bleeding fist into the machine, denting the entire side. "Dammit!" he fumed. His red eyes sparked with complete fury.

Ghost sense told him that Danny was still alive. "This was _not _part of the plan…!"

Mind racing, Vlad tried to think. He'd used all of his energy in that blast, leaving little behind. The gray hair at his temples had surged farther back, coating his black locks with pure bolts of silver. His heart pulsed unevenly; a bad sign.

All those years of silent revenge were killing him, and he sadly knew it. There wasn't much time left now. He limped across the tiles, using the machines like crutches. Phantom pains raced up and down his aging spine.

Something bright and glowing materialized not far before him, and he knew exactly what it was.

A frown twitched Vlad's lips, "Coming to taunt an old man, Daniel?" As he looked up, he noted the ghost's lack of injuries. How disappointing.

"Give it up, Vlad." Danny's voice was cold, dark, and demanding. Vlad was almost proud.

And yet, the man, greatly affected by the back lash of his own power, could do little but glare back. "Never," came his raspy reply.

"I don't want to do this, Vlad," Danny tried to argue. Good memories of life lessons and old missions raced through his mind. The Vlad that he knew had to still be there…somewhere. "Let me help you!"

But Vlad wouldn't hear it. He wouldn't give in. The world would always hate him, just as he would always hate it! What was the point?

"You're no different than I am, Daniel," came his scathing reply. "Don't offer me salvation when you can't give it." Bitter. Cold. Alone. "In the end, you can't save everyone!"

"Yes I can!" Danny argued back, a bit naively. "Just give me a chance to prove it!"

Vlad pointed to the charged ectoplasmic blasts in Danny's palms. "And you intend to prove it by threatening me?" The older man snorted before glaring. "Child, you still have too much to learn about this life."

Danny's emerald eyes hardened. "Yeah, like _I _need to learn a lot. Look where _your_ views of life got you."

A pulse of silence.

Suddenly, something within Vlad snapped. Red eyes searing through the darkness with the absolute last thread of energy, purple energy crackled around him. "You think you can save everyone from the dark?" he hissed, voice too much like a snake. "Think you can save the devil himself?" Horrible, black rings staggered up his figure, transforming him. "Admit it, Daniel, you can't always be the good guy in life!"

Vlad knew he could never physically win against Danny. But he wasn't about to give up without at least destroying the boy mentally.

A final legacy and scar, if luck willed.

Sparking, purple energy poured from Vlad's hands, even as he pushed the last of his life force into the attack. Danny couldn't avoid it; the burning blasts caught his shoulders and grazed off his arms like acid. Vlad laughed as he watched Danny winced, "You're a monster, just like me! Stop fooling yourself!"

Silence.

He blurred in and out of time, a force to be reckoned with. "Don't just float there," Vlad commanded. "Attack me, and be the hypocrite that you are!" Danny still didn't move.

The two, once like father and son, froze at a standstill.

"Attack me, dammit!" Vlad snarled. "You took away my only chance at happiness, now kill me!" And still, Danny did not act.

"I'm not a monster, Vlad."

Red eyes darkened, a deep, unfathomably twisted garnet. "Fine then," Vlad smiled. "I'll do it for you."

Danny's eyes widened. "No…!" Before he could act, Vlad split into two clones; one of them raced at the speed of light into Danny's form.

The contact jerked the boy backwards, warping both body and mind. He couldn't fight it. Danny vaguely heard Vlad laugh. Horrible pain shot up his heart, even as he felt himself fall to Vlad's shadow. Internally fighting, he nearly fell from the sky; he couldn't take the transformation. It _hurt. _

Claws sprouted from his fingertips, dark and evil. Danny clapped his hands over his ears to drown out the whispers of powerful temptation. "Stop it!" his voice echoed with an unnatural dual tone. "Stop…controlling me!"

Vlad's twisted expression dropped into something akin to distant pity. "You'll probably never understand."

In that moment, life and time itself slowed down. Waves of pure energy rose up Danny's throat, and he couldn't stop it. Ghostly wail. His most powerful attack.

How had Vlad known?

Vlad's shadow suddenly dissipated as Danny's confused, emerald eyes landed on the situation before him. Numb, he couldn't reverse the attack. The winds spiraled into ghostly waves at his command. A Wail lifted into the sky, shocking through his entire body.

Danny's mouth opened, and his fangs faded back into regular teeth. His cry, one of both anger and despair, morphed into his most powerful attack. _No…!_

With a dying breath, Vlad mockingly rasped, "_And how does it feel… to know… that you've __**lost**_?"

Vlad smiled, even as the power blasted him backwards.

* * *

Sam staggered in just in time to see Danny unleash a Ghostly wail. Her eyes widened as she saw the destruction. Like an invincible force, the tiles and cement walls strained in their places as it reverberated the entire warehouse. An unnatural cry echoed with something unexplainable that tore into her heart She looked away; the bright green energy shot brighter than the sun itself.

Heartbeats passed, too erratic to count. Ear piercing warps of power overtook the entire warehouse, spiraling faster and faster…

And then, there was silence.

By the time she opening her eyes, there was nothing left. A trail of complete desolation shot from Danny, turning the machines to dust, plowing down the warehouse wall, and leaving a body in its wake.

The power had lashed into Vlad, and he had gladly breathed it in. The blast had thrown him to the ground, reversing his transformation. A broken man in a torn Armani suit, an empty gaze, stared up into nothing. Horrible red eyes had drained to sad blue.

From the fallen wall, the rising sun's rays washed over the room in holy light.

For a moment, everything hung in the balance.

But then Danny fell to his knees, completely wasted. His glow flickered in and out. The only noise was Danny's harsh, exhausted gasps from the attack. He felt numb. _Oh God. _He stared before him, unable to look away. Eyes wide, he refused to believe that he was crying.

Vlad had killed himself, using Danny as a puppet. A pawn, just like always.

"_You're a monster, just like me_!" He stared at his blunt fingernails, clearly remembering his time under Vlad's control.

"_You can't save everybody_!" The body in front of him was proof enough.

"_How does it feel… to know… that you've __**lost?"**_

A horrible confusion overtook him. The slight relief of Vlad's death was nothing in comparison to the guilt. _It was all my fault, wasn't it? _Danny suddenly wondered. All those years of using Vlad's intelligence to become the best agent, never returning a thanks…

_I'm a monster._

And as he turned to face Sam, Danny wasn't sure what was worse: her tears or his own.

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_Hey guys! Sorry for the delayed update; between school finals, Christmas, and actually having a life for the first time ever, __J__, I haven't had much time to write. But with any luck, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Vlad was kinda hard to write for me, mostly because I really don't write about him much…_

_Finished: Friday, January 2, 2009 at 11:34 P.M._

_Inspiration: It's the Fear by Within Temptation, and a nice cup of hot chocolate. _

**1.) Thoughts on plot? **

**2.) Opinion of characters? Characterization okay? Placement? Characters' thoughts?**

**3.) Scene transitions?**

**4.) Overall writing effect?**

**5.) Anything else? :P**

_Thank you for reading, _

_Lightning Streak_

**Please Review ! :)**


	17. Reconnaissance

_Disclaimer: Don't own DP._

_Le gasp! I'm updating! This is the final chapter, everyone! Can you believe it? Either way, I'd like to thank you all for your love and support! :) You guys are awesome._

_This chapter is dedicated to_** phycotic writer**_, who's persistence inspired me to update. Thanks. _

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**Living On the Edge**

**Chapter 17: Reconnaissance**

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Their gazes locked for seconds, minutes, hours, or so it seemed. Time sped up and slowed down, and neither could look away. Sam's eyes widened at the ghost's tears, something pulling deep within her.

"…Danny?" she whispered uncertainly. Among the destruction, the ghost's form was intimidating, powerful. Terrifying. Strange wisps of bright green twisted and twirled around his form. And when he looked up at her, her heart stopped

Tormented green pleaded for forgiveness. "_Sam_." Rough with exhaustion, his sorrowful voice reached hers, and it chilled her spine. It echoed with such inhuman intensity that it reverberated off the walls in absolute power.

In those moments, Danny sought to explain his actions, his life, but he was frozen. What _could _he say? What was there to say to explain? His tired muscles couldn't hold his head up, and he looked back down at the floor. His vision blurred with tired tears.

_I'm a murderer…_

Sam hesitantly stepped forward. "…Danny, are you-?"

"-_Don't come near me_!" he commanded harshly. She froze, eyes wide. He never looked up, even as he added, "_Please_." Something desperate and terrified tinged his voice. "_Please, Sam_." He didn't want to look up. He didn't want to see the fear in her eyes. Not again.

_Murderer…_

"I'm not afraid, Danny." Although her voice shook in uncertainty, Sam steeled her nerves.

"_You weren't supposed to know," _he whispered. Almost in a hysteric whisper, he added, "_I'm a murderer_."

"You can't scare me, Danny," Sam called to him. "I know it's you. I know you're still _you_."

"_How do you know_?" he asked roughly. In his fear, his voice echoed with its unnatural pulse.

Hesitantly, she walked before him and kneeled down to eye level. She tentatively lifted his chin, and he ashamedly looked away. Tears trailed down his cheeks, testaments of his internal struggle.

He was cold, and her hands tingled with an electric shock at the contact.

Her purple eyes were stormy with so many emotions… "I thought you were dead," she whispered.

He glanced at her, emerald eyes unearthly glowing. "_I am dead, Sam_."

"Then how can you still be here?"

"_I don't know_."

Suddenly, she threw her arms around him, embracing him tightly. "You've gotta be okay," she whispered, more to herself. Unbidden tears rose to her eyes, but she tried to blink them away. "You've gotta be…" She tightened her grip. "You can't be just a ghost if I can still feel you…" Sam leaned her cheek against his shoulder, reveling in Danny's familiar scent. "Right?"

He didn't answer.

Danny hugged her back. "_Thank you," _he whispered in her ear, voice echoing quietly.

The ghost was warm and cold; firm and yet gentle.

And they stayed that way for the longest time.

* * *

"Yo, Foley!" Tucker jumped in his seat, nearly ripping the headphones from his ears.

"Shh!" he fearfully stressed to the intruder. His teal eyes flashed in desperation. "Be quiet!" He waved to the radio system, which directly linked him to Danny's earpiece.

The intruder stared. "That Danny on the other line?"

"Yep."

"With Sam?"

"Yep."

The man blinked before pulling out a box of popcorn in excitement. "Dude. Got a headphone splitter?"

* * *

"Danny?"

"Hmm?" He ran his gloved hands down Sam's neck, smoothing her hair.

She struggled for words. "I guess, I guess I just don't understand. Your back should be broken a hundred times over, you shouldn't be able to _see _straight, and there's not one mark on you." Her trembling fingertips trailed down his temple. "You're not human," she whispered in amazement. "Why didn't you _tell _me?"

He darted his eyes to the ground, too uncertain to stare in her gaze. He didn't answer her question, and silence fell between them.

Sam's hand had slipped from his temple to his chest, where his insignia rested. With a sigh, she nearly pulled away her hand.

Danny immediately grabbed it, cradling her palm within his.

"Why didn't you run away?" he demanded quietly.

The woman looked up at him in confusion. "What?"

Danny's gaze suddenly locked on hers, completely serious. "Why didn't you run? Why weren't you afraid?" He pulled her hand and tightly pressed it against his heart. "Didn't you realize I was a monster?" _Why did you try to fight for me? _

She was startled to feel nothing beneath the palm of her hand. No heartbeat. She looked back up at him, eyes silently questioning so much and yet accepting. "Well, why didn't you turn me away?" Sam challenged. "When you learned I was working for Vlad, that I _betrayed_ you, why did you still save me?"

The ghost's expression suddenly scrunched in thought. "Well, I just…I dunno…I guess I wasn't really thinking of that." He released her hand, fingertips brushing just a little too long. "I…I mean…"

_I love you._

He gave her a sheepish smile. She wrapped her fingers around his gloved hand and leaned into his caress.

"You kissed me," she accused him, violet eyes darkening playfully. "And I was barely even awake to notice it." Her memory was fuzzy from the time she spent on the brink of consciousness and unconsciousness, but some things she remembered clearly.

"Should I ask next time?" he asked her, voice suddenly intense with emotion.

Her violet eyes locked on his. "Will there be a next time?"

"Only if you want one."

"Well, maybe I do."

In the blur of the moment, he crashed his lips upon hers. It was a raw and honest kiss, pure with a type of love that had been lost to the ages. Desperation deepened the kiss, and Sam found herself drowning in an emotion she didn't think she had.

Love.

One second.

_I'm just a ghost…_

Two seconds.

_I'm just a traitor…_

He instinctively ran his hands along her body, and she tangled her fingers in his white locks. Five seconds.

He suddenly broke away from her, just long enough to trail kisses down her neck as she gasped for air. "God," he whispered roughly in between kisses, "I think I could love you…" His voice was deeper, eyes darker.

He pulled her closer, and her fingers dug into his jumpsuit. "I think," she said breathlessly, "I like you…"

He was always so far away, never close enough. Starving…

His lips trailed down to her collarbone. "Only like?" he whispered against her skin. She was the most beautiful taste; he couldn't stop himself.

"I could learn…to love you," she gasped as an afterthought.

His lips found their way back to hers. "I could teach you," he whispered against her lips, stealing kiss after kiss. "Just say yes." Desperation filled him. "Please, Sam…"

Her eyebrows furrowed, and she broke apart long enough to ask, "How many have you taught _before_?"

He smiled as he closed the gap. "None."

"Then yes," she whispered. A feverish desire overwhelmed her, and when she stared into his green eyes, she saw not a ghost, not a human, but a man.

A man she loved.

She matched his passion with her own, and her lips moved in synchronization with his as their kiss deepened. He wrapped his strong arms around her, and he leaned her against the machinery. Her hands gripped his shoulders.

A gasping moan rumbled from Danny's throat as Sam's fingernails dug into his jumpsuit, into his skin. "I'm sorry," he pulled away, panting breathlessly, "that I never told you I was a ghost."

"Doesn't matter," she whispered back. "You're still Danny." She lifted her hand and gently caressed his left temple, brushing back his unruly locks.

He suddenly couldn't stop kissing her. Happiness. Contentment. He'd finally found home. She accepted him.

Sam was home. And he was never gonna let her go.

"I love you," he whispered again against her neck. He could feel the racing pulse of her blood beneath his lips…

Static filled the gasping silence. "…Uhh, hey guys?" Tucker laughed nervously, voice tight. "What's up?"

Suddenly, Danny and Sam broke apart, eyes wide.

Awkward.

* * *

Tucker won a lot of money that day, and he celebrated said victory by dancing around the room and spouting, "Ha-I-told-you-so" to everyone he saw. The language and syntax agents of the room rolled their eyes. The man with the popcorn continued to eat popcorn, intensely focused on the gasps of surprise and muffled swear words coming from the opposite end of the radio.

One of the agents translated to the Hispanic janitor in the back, who in turn held out his hand with a big smile. The translator sighed sadly before handing over a twenty dollar bill.

And for some reason, everything felt okay.

* * *

It was three hours before the CIA and Interpol arrived at the scene.

Danny gently lifted Sam away from the rusting machinery, holding her close as he spiraled them above to the roof of the warehouse. Her fingers dug into his jumpsuit in fear, in excitement, as the floor disappeared underneath her. "So," the ghost said casually, attempting to distract her, "how do you think we should kill Tucker?"

Sam's lips twitched into a half-smile, despite her fear of heights. "Well, we could tie him down in the janitor's closet without his PDA."

The ghost winced before whistling appreciatively. "That'd destroy him." His expression grew thoughtful. "But then I guess I wouldn't have to hear his spiels of, 'I told you so.'" His fingers caressed Sam's back. "Tucker's foresight for this kinda thing is way too on target."

The girl leaned her head against Danny's chest. "Yeah." The rushing winds of outside whipped her bangs into her eyes and ruffled her clothes.

"I'm sorry, Danny."

A sad smile twitched his lips. "It's not your fault, Sam." He sighed. "Maybe it's better this way anyhow."

She hummed sympathetically in return, closing her eyes. "Maybe. But I can't help thinking that you're still hiding something from me."

As the roof closed in, Danny gently set Sam down, her tennis shoes softly connecting with the concrete. "There's so much you don't know," he admitted, reluctantly letting go of her. He still floated above the ground-a strange sight to behold. "And I don't know if I should tell you, Sam. It's not like normal-people problems."

"Just as long as it's more interesting than ex-girlfriends, I'll be okay," she answered, a wry smile on her face. The smile dropped into something more serious. Sam swallowed. "I know I haven't been the poster-child for it lately, but you can trust me, Danny. You know that, right?"

"I know." His unearthly glow dampened as his feet touched the ground. Strange circles of light appeared at his waist, rushing upwards to reveal his human form. His blue eyes sparkled. "If I didn't trust you, I wouldn't do this." His hands, human hands, raised to brush back her unruly hair and tuck it behind her ear. She covered his hand with her own, her eyes locking with his. Danny kissed her, and the rising sun peaked over the far hills. A new day.

And suddenly, they were surrounded by helicopters, police cars, and blaring lights.

* * *

Danny watched, eyes troubled, as they carried Vlad's body away from the rubble in a gurney. The flashing lights of an ambulance reflected against the dark dawn. Sam's hand intertwined in his own, and she squeezed his hand in comfort. "Are you going to be alright?" she whispered.

He inhaled deeply, closing his eyes. "I will be," he answered tiredly. Sam leaned her head against his shoulder, and he leaned his head against hers. His human form was so much warmer…

A familiar figure made its way through the crowds and clean-up crews, occasionally ordering people around. It was the Head Agent, and he was searching for someone. As soon as his eyes landed on Danny, something changed in his demeanor. It was sad and hopeful, determined and yet lenient. "Daniel!" he called over. "Let me have a word with you."

The younger agent sighed and pulled away from Sam. As the Head Agent made his way over, Danny noticed something in his hand.

"Glad to see you're still alive." The Head Agent handed Danny an envelope. "I know this is a hard time for you, Daniel," he said, "but the agency still needs you."

Danny's eyes hardened as he hesitantly accepted the envelope, heavy with paperwork. "You want me to go back?"

With a sigh, the elder agent admitted, "As much as you've earned a rest, there's a big stack of papers. I'd like to re-initiate your training. Perhaps the beginning of next month, we can rebuild the facilities for you?"

Danny's tired eyes stared wearily. "I don't have much of a choice, do I?"

"Well," the Head Agent sighed. "You've got options, Daniel. We can't force you to accept, but know that your…abilities are an asset the world cannot lose. You could save so many."

Nothing was perfect. He would always feel guilt for the death of his partner, he would always feel as though Vlad's death was unneeded. But when Sam's hand came to rest on his shoulder, he felt warmth, and her touch melted away the coldness within him.

"I'll think about it," Danny said finally. The Head Agent nodded in understanding, and he clapped the younger agent's shoulder.

As the Head Agent walked away, he suddenly turned around. "By the way, should you choose to return, I will permanently instate Sam as your partner."

Sam's eyes widened, mirroring Danny's, and they looked at each other. A small smile worked its way onto Danny's face, and he squeezed her hand. The Head Agent glanced between them. "This _is_ what you want, right?"

The world wasn't perfect at all. But at least he had Sam. And that made everything worth it.

"Yes," Danny answered for both of them, heart content for the first time in years.

Within the envelope was an acceptance of terms, and a new title to boot. Senior Agent First Class Daniel Fenton, with a permanent partnership to Agent Samantha Manson. Later that night, when he penned his name along the dotted signature, he realized his cursive letters had intertwined with Sam's.

He smiled softly.

* * *

Danny awoke to the pounding on his door. Groggily, he fell out of his bed and lied there on the wooden floor. The pounding continued. He groaned. "Who gets up before noon?" he complained, rubbing his eyes as he stood up and pulled on a t-shirt. He was tired, he was achy from the flight home, and all he really wanted to do was sleep. Half-stumbling, half-walking, he grumbled at the indecency of it all.

All this changed the moment he turned the knob.

A bright image greeted him, along with the rising sun. "Hey." Sam threw him a gun, which he caught out of pure reflex. She was smiling. "Train with me."

The boy's sleepy eyes suddenly became alert. How could he refuse? "Okay." He yawned, shedding his tiredness, and then added, "That is, if you think you can handle me."

"Oh, trust me." She leaned against the doorway, giving him a knowing look. She tried not to giggle at the teddy-bear boxers he was wearing. "The real question is whether you can handle _me_."

Lightning blurred into blue lights, and suddenly she was nose-to-nose with his ghost form, his emerald eyes dancing merrily. "Bring it on, _Sammy_."

"Oh, it's already been brought, _Dan Dan_," she replied, raising an eyebrow.

Without warning, he stole a kiss from her lips and raced away as she indignantly gasped. Danny laughed as she chased after him, loading the gun with anti-ghost blasts. Sam tried to look mad, but try as she might, her happiness won over.

Danny spiraled up into the sky before dive-bombing down beside Sam, ghostly aura twisting around her as he kissed her again.

Agent Daniel Fenton was awake now, and nothing would stop him.

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_God! Finally, it's done! HAHAHA! Oh my goodness, this moment feels really good. I've struggled through this story so much, it's borderline ridiculous! But now it's done! It's finally complete! A small part of me feels just a little sad, though, as I'm sure all authors do when their brain children are all grown up. :P_

_Well, I sincerely hope that you enjoyed this last chapter, and I'd like to thank everybody who's read, everybody who's reviewed, and everybody who's kept on my case until I updated. :) Thanks so much, to everybody! _

_With much love, _

_Lightning Streak _


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